Death Becomes Us
by Nodoubtaboutit18
Summary: AU... Spencer is in the witness protection program, but what else is she hiding from Ashley?
1. Chapter 1

**A/n: All right guys, this is something new. It's a little dark at first, but just keep reading. I probably won't get an update up again until the weekend's over, but I'll try. Please read and review telling me your thoughts and what not. So enjoy!!**

_I can't take this anymore._ Ashley mumbled to herself as she pressed her warm lips up against the rum bottle and took another swig. She winced as she felt the warm liquor burn down her throat and into her stomach. She made a satisfying "ahh" noise after she tasted it. It was the only thing she could feel. She took a couple of pain killers and tossed a few anti-depressants into her mouth. She took the rum bottled and washed down the pills.

Today was the worst day of her life. It was the year anniversary of her best friend, her girlfriend, and her everything's death. Spencer Carlin died a year ago, in a car accident. Ashley was waiting for Spencer and Paula to arrive at their apartment. Ashley never forgave herself for not being in the car with them.

Ashley went through a year without Spencer, the anniversary of her death pushed Ashley over her limit. Ashley couldn't feel anything since Spencer's death. She tried everything. But every passing moment in Ashley's life, meant that every moment was lived without Spencer.

Ashley stared at the picture of her and Spencer, she smiled. It brought a slight joy to Ashley's face looking at Spencer's face in the picture. Ashley didn't take any of the pictures down she had around her apartment. She left all Spencer's clothes lying around and left it all untouched. She tried but she wasn't ready to remove all the memories she had with Spencer. _We were so happy. Everything was better then; life had meaning with her in it. I can't---I can't do this anymore._

Ashley took another swig of her rum. Then she realized she was staring at the end of the bottle. She walked into the kitchen and took a vodka bottle out of the freezer. There was no food in her refrigerator; she rarely ate any thing over the past year. Most of her days she spent sleeping or drinking herself into a comatose state.

If someone took a look at Ashley they couldn't tell she was this confident, outgoing, and charismatic girl. This girl died the same night Spencer did. Ashley turned into a depressed, fragile, homebody person. She went out a couple of times, but she felt as if she was betraying Spencer some how.

Ashley took another swig of her liquor and did a line of cocaine. She needed to get completely fucked up to do what she was about to do. She was wearing one of Spencer's shirts. It still smelled of Spencer in every way. Ashley took in the fumes and smiled. "Spencer?" Ashley whispered out loud and looked over her shoulder. It was if she could feel Spencer's presence.

It was only wishful thinking. Ashley inched closer to her balcony. She looked over the edge onto the street and watched the traffic fly by. _I hope I don't hurt anyone once I jump. _

Ashley looked over the edge. She closed her eyes and took another swig of her drink. She stepped on the ledge and sat. She was testing her fate. She wasn't ready to jump yet, she was trying to enjoy the last minutes of her wasted life. She closed her eyes and reached in her memory and tried to remember the best moment she had with Spencer.

Ashley tried to remember their first kiss in this apartment. Someone opened the door and Ashley turned around to look who was coming in and she suddenly flashed back to Spencer and her opening the door on the first day they moved in...

-------

"This is my first place out on my own!" Spencer yelped and jumped into Ashley's arms.

Ashley squeezed Spencer tightly and gave her a peck on the cheek, "I didn't think you were going to be that excited!"

Spencer twirled around the living room with her arms spread wide. "Ahh, this is so exciting. This entire place all to ourselves. It's so empty in here...we need furniture!" Spencer ran through the apartment, "I want a couch here...a TV here...and a chair here...and a..."

Ashley cut off Spencer, "Aren't you the least bit exhausted from packing all day?" Ashley smiled. She loved how excited Spencer was.

"Excuse me ladies," the moving guy grumbled, "where do you want this bed?"

Spencer smiled, "uhh, uhh... in that room there. We want that to be our room right?" Spencer pointed to the far room with a balcony.

"Whatever you want babe." Ashley said as she slid her fingers on the kitchen counter.

Spencer jumped up and shrugged.

"Uh ma'am this is kind of heavy. Where am I dropping it?" The moving guys inched their way closer inside.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Right over there in that room. Follow me." Spencer made movements like she was landing and airplane; she wanted her bed perfectly placed.

Spencer came out talking to the moving guys, "Ohkay, just bring in the last couple boxes in that truck and the flat screen and then you guys are off till tomorrow." Spencer smiled as she pulled out a tip to give the boys.

"We'll have that right up, for you miss." They both high fived each other as they ran down the steps to get the rest of Spencer and Ashley's things.

"Hey, you didn't have to tip them... I would have gotten it." Ashley said with her hands slumped in her back pockets.

Spencer scoffed, "Whatever, it's not like I don't have a job."

"Speaking of that...why do you still work there? I have all the money in the world a person can dream of...why are you still working for tips?" Ashley said as she tugged on Spencer's shirt.

Spencer let out a deep sigh, "Well, tips suck and I know you have all the money in the world. But it's a family business and I want to keep helping my parents out...ya know?" Spencer gave Ashley a peck on the cheek.

Ashley smiled, "But...more work for you is less time with me. But I'll keep trying to understand."

Spencer grinned, "Good. I'm starved. What do you want to eat?"

Ashley was looking at the floor then she slowly looked up at Spencer and had that look on her face. "Well...what's on the menu?"

Spencer's mouth dropped and she gave Ashley a slight push, "Ash, for real. I meant like ... food. I could do some Chinese."

Ashley grinned, "Guess I'll take an order of Spencer Carlin later tonight?" Ashley awaited her answer.

Spencer smiled and started to walk away, "Of course, we have to christen the new apartment, don't we?"

"Ah, I knew I taught you well. All right grab your purse and let's go grab some grub." Ashley said as she stood in the door way, tapping on the door. "Spencer? Did you get lost back there?"

Ashley heard distant yelling, "I'm coming! I'm coming." Spencer ran up to Ashley partially out of breath, "Sorry I had to pee. I'm ready."

"Let's go." Ashley patted Spencer's butt and Spencer let out a giggle.

"Shall I do the honors?" Spencer held out their apartment key.

Ashley gave a half smile, "You want to be the first to lock our apartment door? Go right ahead." Ashley stood behind Spencer with her arms crossed and watched.

Spencer fidgeted with the lock for a bit, "Uhh I think it's stuck." Spencer jiggled the handle.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Ashley deeply sighed and walked up towards Spencer.

"Psych!" Spencer pulled out the key and jiggled the knob to make sure it was locked, and then started laughing.

"Very funny. Haha. Now, let's go eat?"

"You should have seen you face!! You were so ready to break down and cry. All right I'm ready to eat." Spencer skipped a head of Ashley and waited for her to catch up.

"Aww, are you mad at me? I know you're not." Spencer smiled. Spencer held out her hand and awaited Ashley to grab it.

"So, I saw this Chinese place like a block from the apartment. Let's walk." Ashley said as she squeezed Spencer's hand and leaned her head on Spencer's shoulder.

"So you want to sit and eat or take out?" Ashley looked at Spencer as they walked up to the hostess stand.

"Sit, I think." Spencer smiled and couldn't keep her eyes off Ashley. She was deeply in love with the brown eyed girl standing before her.

Before Ashley could get another word out the hostess interrupted them, "Oh my God. Is that you Susan?"

Spencer and Ashley confusedly looked at each other.

"Susan, remember me? Brett? We were best friends out in Ohio? Come on. Remember? I always wondered what happened to you, you just BAM moved away. Leaving no trace of you, no number, must I say I was devastated." Brett chuckled, "Don't you remember me?"

"Spencer?" Ashley looked at Spencer, extremely confused.

Spencer shrugged her shoulders and shuddered at bit, "I--uuh don't know what you're talking about. My name is Spencer...I must have one of those faces, that look familiar."

"I could have sworn... you must be her long lost twin or you're playing a joke on me Susan, for old time's sake." Brett fake punched Spencer in the shoulder.

Ashley had about enough of this guy, "Look. Her name is Spencer, and we just want to sit down and eat. So can you do your job bud?"

"Can we get take out?" Spencer said then whispered, "I've had enough of this guy."

Ashley shook her head and gave Spencer a peck on the cheek, "Forget it, we'll order out, BRETT." Ashley emphasized his name and threw some of her Ashley attitude along with it.

Ashley grabbed the bag and carried it back to the apartment while Spencer was being silent, "What's up? That guy really bother you?"

Spencer smiled, "Eh, not really."

"I'm sure it was just some version of a lame pickup line." Ashley bumped Spencer with her hip.

Spencer forced out a fake laugh, "Probably. I'm starved. Let's enjoy our food." Spencer said as she threw down her purse on the floor.

Spencer threw the food on the floor on the account they didn't have a table or chairs yet. "Guess we're eating on the floor?"

"Well it's clean." Ashley smiled.

They began to dig into their food and while they were chewing away Ashley just stared at Spencer. She looked into her beautiful blue eyes and watched her hair fall so perfectly on her face. "I love you, Spence." Ashley smiled.

Spencer looked up, "You too." Spencer rarely said _I love you_ back. Spencer's last words to her father were _I love you_ before he died. Ever since then she could rarely bring her self to say it that often. She felt as if, telling someone she loved them instantly took their life away. She couldn't bear to loose Ashley, so she tried hard not to tell her those three fatal words.

In the time span they had been dating, she probably said I love you about three times. She knew she loved her, she loved her with all her heart, but she just couldn't... Ashley understood most of the time, it hurt sometimes, but she tried to grasp the concept of Spencer's way of thought.

Ashley sighed, wishing Spencer would say the same words back to her. Spencer looked up at Ashley after she finished poking around with her food. She saw how devastated and disappointed she was in her. Spencer tried to gulp it down and find the courage to say I love you. She paused and just looked at Ashley. Trying to find a reason, not to say those three words. She couldn't find one reason.

"I love you, Ashley." Instantly Ashley looked up at Spencer and her eyes shined.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: Thanks for the reviews and feedback. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy the update.**

Ashley rose to the sound of Spencer's alarm buzzing. She smiled and glanced over at Spencer; refusing to move her arm from under Spencer no matter how asleep her arm was. Ashley amusedly smiled when she watched Spencer sit up, slam the snooze button, and then lay back in the same exact spot. Ashley smiled and shook her head in amazement. "Spencer...Spencer..." Ashley softly whispered.

"Give me five more minutes. Five more." Spencer scrunched her eye brows in confusion, "Wait," She turned so she was facing Ashley, "You're up? At..." Spencer glanced behind at the clock, "Eight in the morning?"

Ashley slowly sat up resting her back on the head board, "Well, I wanted to be up for you first day at work...leaving from our new apartment." Ashley glanced over at Spencer trying to hide the fact she wanted to see how excited Spencer was.

Spencer giddily responded, "Awww, Ashley's excited to see me leave from the apartment for the first time for work." Spencer started lifting the covers off her legs.

Ashley reached over and pulled it back onto Spencer, "Hey...leaving so quickly?"

Spencer smiled and leaned in and kissed Ashley on her cheek, "You can ... shower?" Spencer shyly turned her head as if she was embarrassed by the question she asked.

"Don't have to ask me twice." Ashley said as she jumped off the bed and ran to turn on the shower. Spencer smiled and sat on the bed twirling her fingers. Ashley poked her head around the bathroom door as she took her hair down from a pony tail and let her brown curly hair flow and hit her shoulders. She stuck out part of her leg and twirled her toe on the bathroom towel, "So are you coming or what?"

Spencer barely could resist and invitation like that and she practically flew off the bed, "I'm not coming yet... but I will be." Spencer nodded at Ashley as she let her shirt drop to the floor and slid her shorts off.

Ashley smiled, "You're tattoo makes me so hot." Ashley said as she traced the outline of Spencer's tattoo above her hip. Every sense in Spencer's body tingled as she felt Ashley graze lightly on her skin. Spencer pushed Ashley back into the shower as she couldn't keep her hands or lips off her.

Spencer hopped out of the shower feeling more refreshed than she thought possible. She inched the towel around her body as she walked to the bed drying her hair.

"Uh, babe, don't go to work. We can do this all day." Ashley said as she wrapped her legs around Spencer. Ashley started massaging her shoulders. Spencer closed her eyes and leaned back embracing Ashley's touch.

"But I'll only be gone for like four hours, just to help my family out with the morning brunch rush. You can come by on my break?" Spencer smiled and thoroughly enjoyed her shoulder massage. Which soon turn into Ashley nibbling on her neck.

Spencer whispered, "Stop." She didn't really mean it, but she knew she had to go before she was late. Spencer hopped off the bed and began searching for her clothes through boxes.

"All right. I have to go, before I'm late. My mom's counting on me, you understand." Spencer dug through boxes to find some jeans to throw on along with her work shirt that read, "Paula's Diner. Great home cooked meals." Spencer threw on her shirt and jeans and stood in their bedroom doorway.

"So are you going to walk me to the door on my first day?" Spencer swayed her body and waited for Ashley to stop pouting on the bed. Ashley uncrossed her arms and slowly stomped towards Spencer, pouting every inch.

Ashley grabbed a hold of Spencer's hand and it brought an immediate smile to her face. They stopped at the front door, "Call me when you're on break?" Ashley said as she had her arms around Spencer and rested them just above her bottom. Spencer pressed her soft lips onto Ashley's thin lips and gave her a nice good by kiss. Ashley crinkled her cute little nose and smiled.

"I gotta go, call you on break," Spencer said as she turned for one final kiss to Ashley's cheek. Ashley stood in the doorway and watched Spencer walk away until all she could see was a distant figure.

Ashley sighed and closed the door and hopped back into bed. She stared at the ceiling, and then all of a sudden hopped out of bed. She got a brilliant beyond brilliant idea. She was going to try and get the entire apartment set up the best she could, to surprise Spencer. Ashley began frantically running around the apartment. The moving guys finished bringing up the rest of the boxes and furniture.

Ashley began pushing the couch around the apartment trying to find the perfect spot Spencer pointed to. "Close enough." Ashley mumbled as she ran into the bedroom to start hanging clothes up in the closet and throwing them in a dresser. She brushed off her hands and felt somewhat accomplished when she finished unpacking all the clothes into the closet. She plopped on her bed and then felt her phone vibrating in her back pocket. She adjusted her weight and pried out her phone. "Hey, perfect timing." Ashley grinned as she fell back onto a pillow.

"Hey, sorry I didn't call sooner. Hey, it's pretty busy in here we got slammed. There's some church group in town today, so I'm not going to get a break...so I'll just be home in like two hours, cool?" Spencer sounded stressed on the phone.

"You doin' okay over there? But, all the better." Ashley grinned, _now I can try and finish up the apartment. She'll be so excited, I can't wait. _

"Yeah, just you know church people kinda suck. Anyways, I'll see you when I get home."

"All right, love ya, bye."

"You too."

Ashley hung up the phone and slid it back into her pocket. Ashley wanted it to look as perfect as she could possibly get it. She ordered food and cheesecake so it will be there when Spencer got home from work. Ashley kicked some more boxes around and attempted at hooking up the flat screen. She was tangled in wires and finally threw them angrily at the hard wood floor. "Screw it; I'll get the cable guy to do this." Ashley kicked a stray wire off her leg and plopped down on the couch. She laid her hands on her stomach and sighed with relief.

She checked her watch on her wrist and wondered why Spencer wasn't home yet. She looked around the apartment as if Spencer was home and she didn't realize it. She shrugged her shoulders and started to doze off from exhaustion. Spencer slowly tapped on Ashley's shoulder. Ashley opened her eyes but before she could react or say a word, Spencer smiles and looks around the room almost tearing up, "You did all this?"

Ashley slowly sat up on the couch, "You bet I did."

Spencer jumped onto Ashley's lap and gave Ashley a kiss on the lips, "Oh my God, it's perfect!!" Spencer sat flabbergasted by what she saw, and then she started giggling. "You got mad at the TV didn't you?"

Ashley lowered her head and looked into her lap, "You know me too well."

Spencer took her index finger and lifted up Ashley's chin, "And since when is that a bad thing?"

Ashley slid out from under Spencer and ran into the kitchen to the fridge, "Look, I ordered us you're favorite...cheesecake." Ashley came waltzing back to the couch with the entire cake and two forks.

"You shouldn't have! What did I do to deserve you?" Spencer asked as she had her head cocked.

Ashley grinned and thought the same thing. "What did I do to deserve you? You're the best thing that has ever entered my life." Ashley leaned over the cheesecake and gave Spencer a peck on the forehead.

"Wait; let me go get out of this filthy work shirt. Be right back." Spencer ran into the room.

_Wait for it...wait for it..._Ashley thought. Ashley heard Spencer scream when she saw the sight of the closet and all her clothes put away neatly. _There it is._

Spencer came walking out of the room as she was still pulling down her shirt over her chest. "Ash! You like didn't leave anything for me to set up around here."

"You can thank me later tonight. Here." Ashley handed Spencer her fork, "Eat up."

Spencer smiled, "Oh, you'll get plenty of thanking."

After Ashley and Spencer finished feeding each other cheesecake, Spencer shyly yet playfully teased Ashley to the bedroom. They ended their perfect two nights with a moment of surreal happiness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own South of Nowhere---nor do I claim to. **

**A/n: I forgot to put that in the first chapter, so I thought I'd throw it in this one. Anyways, looking forward to everyone's reviews. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Enjoy!!**

Ashley's eyes widen and she shook her head. She wiped a stray tear that managed to escape from her eyes, but it wasn't her usual tear it was a different sort of cry this time. She slowly started to recollect the first day her and Spencer had met.

-----

"Dad, when are you leaving for your tour? And I'm so coming this time aren't I? I'm old enough, responsible." Ashley said sitting in the passenger seat of her father's Porsche.

"I'm leaving next week, honey. But where did you get the impression that you are coming?" Ashley's dad looked over at her with a question on his face and then continued to look at the road.

"What? I'm not coming? You said...You said I could come on your last tour with you. You always told me that when I was younger..." Ashley's shoulders started to slump and she looked in her lap.

"I'm sorry honey, this is my last tour. I need to be free, without baggage, I am going to live it up on those roads in random places, random hotels, and I don't want you to see that part of my life. Yeah, you may read about it, but I don't want you there. I'm going to have fun; I don't want my little daughter to spoil it. Plus it's not safe." He pinched her cheek as if that was going to make Ashley feel better.

Ashley felt it, she felt those tears coming. She took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She shut her eyes tight trying to keep the tears for exiting, it was useless. She quickly turned upset, "Pull over! Pull over! If you think I'm your baggage, then FINE, I must be holding you back at this present moment."

"Honey... don't be like that..." He said as he slowed down the car to pull over. He could tell how serious Ashley was and she really wanted to be let out of the car. "Where are you going to go? You have no where to go, no way to get back home. So just stay in the car, honey."

Ashley looked over at her father with her arms crossed letting the tears stream down her face. She wanted her father to know how badly he hurt her. She wanted him to see, the pain she was feeling. "I don't care. Just pull over now!" Ashley said as she jerked the wheel towards the curb.

"Fine, I guess I'll see you in about a year when the tours over." Her dad said as he drove off.

Ashley threw her purse on her shoulder and crossed her arms as she walked. She could see everyone staring at her as she cried walking the streets of Los Angeles. She couldn't take all the staring on the streets, so she walked into the first diner she saw.

She swung open the door to the diner as she heard the little bell ding. She sat herself in a booth in the back and made sure she had an ash tray. She rarely smokes, but she kept a pack in her purse for this reason alone. She angrily dug into her purse for a lighter and took a puff of her cigarette. _Ah, thank God these aren't stale._ She wiped the tears off from her cheeks but they kept on flowing down her face like the Nile River. She lifted up the ash tray to use as a mirror; she knew it wasn't going to be a pretty sight. She winced at the sight of the running mascara down her face and how puffy her eyes were. She hated when she cried, because it always looked worse than it was.

Finally the waitress headed over to Ashley's table. "Hey, how are you today? I'm Spencer, I'll be your server---" She recited her usual lines before looking up at Ashley. Once she looked up at Ashley, she immediately stopped talking to ask the girl before her eyes, "What's wrong? Is everything okay? What can I get you?" Spencer said as she sat on the other half of the booth.

"Water would be nice." Ashley said through her tears, as she sniffled.

Spencer smiled and rested her hand on Ashley's back, "I'll be right back with that water. It's going to be okay, we can talk about it."

Ashley watched Spencer walk away as she took a few last drags on her cigarette and put it out. She found a napkin on the table and slowly started wiping off her mascara stained cheeks. Spencer came back with two glasses of water; she felt Ashley needed the company.

Spencer saw Ashley wiping off her cheeks and she smiled. "Things getting better already? Here let me get that for you." Spencer grabbed the napkin out of Ashley's hand and dunked it into her glass of water. She held her left hand up to Ashley's chin and used her right to wipe off her mascara. Ashley smiled, "You don't have to be so nice."

Spencer finished wiping off Ashley's cheeks, "Yeah, you're probably right...but I want to. You look like you're in some major need of a listener."

Ashley swirled her straw around in her glass, "By the way, my name's Ashley Davies."

"Well, it's nice you meet you Ashley Davies. Now, what has got you so down in the dumps? Boyfriend break up with you?"

Ashley let out a chuckle, "Hardly. It was my asshole of a father. This is how it all started." Ashley continued telling her story of what just happened as Spencer nodded and agreed how much of an asshole her father was. "Thanks for listening to me Spencer."

"Hey, it's easy to listen to someone as beautiful as you." Spencer smiled and stuck a pencil behind her ear, "Hey, I have to go take care of this other table, I'll be right back."

Ashley was somewhat stunned, by what Spencer had just said. She snapped out of how upset she was, and realized she had a gorgeous blonde hair, blue eyed bomb shell sitting right before her eyes. She was sweet, a great listener, and seemed to be one of the most decent human beings she had ever encountered in L.A. Ashley began to blush thinking about her newly formed crush.

Ashley couldn't wait for Spencer to arrive back at the table. She was done crying, she could talk with out hiccupping, because when she cried she always got the hiccups. So it made her crying fits sound ten times worse than it really was. She was ready to turn her flirt on.

"Hey, Ash, you hungry for some food?" Spencer's blue eyes twinkled as she looked at Ashley.

Ashley smiled and crinkled her nose ever-so-slightly, "I can do some food, what do you recommend?"

Spencer half smiled as she tapped her pen nervously on her pad of paper, "Ah, I know exactly what you would like. How about I surprise you if you don't mind?"

Ashley giggled, "I don't mind one bit."

"Great, your order will be up in no time." Spencer scurried off and disappeared into the kitchen.

Spencer ran to the other table she was taking care of and nodded at Ashley on the way. She ran back into the kitchen and brought out Ashley's order. "Here you go Hun. I'll be right back, this other table is so damn demanding." Spencer rolled her eyes and walked off.

The table she was taking care of finally left and she finally had some down time. She fell into the booth and sighed. Then she started to smile, "So how'd you like your food?"

"Loved it." Ashley said as she looked down at her plate half ate. "So, do you want to go out sometime, on a date?" Ashley did it, she threw herself out there. She rarely asked girls out if she wasn't sure if they were gay, but she had a feeling about Spencer.

Spencer stopped sorting through her receipts, "Uh-- no thank you."

Ashley was shocked. She couldn't believe she said no. She was almost a hundred percent certain she would have said yes with open arms. "Well, why not? Are you not gay?" Ashley said as she tucked her curly hair behind her right ear.

Spencer smiled, "No, no. It's not that at all. I am gay, but it just seems like you're not the commitment type of person. And I don't want to date someone who doesn't want to be committed to a relationship, that's all."

Ashley was somewhat offended, even though she took a second to think about her past relationships. All of the other girls she went out with never lasted more than a week or two. She mainly just had her way with them and then got bored and moved on to the next girl. But she knew in her heart that Spencer was different. She wanted to know everything about the girl who sat before her very eyes. She wasn't going to give up easily. "That's not fair; you're judging me before you even go out with me. At least give me a chance?"

Spencer smiled, "Well, if you can prove to me you can make a commitment. Show up here, every day for the rest of the week at three o'clock and have lunch with me. Then I'll consider going out on a date with you." Spencer smiled.

Ashley liked Spencer already. She loved how cute Spencer was. "I think you're just scared, Spencer. Scared, to be in a relationship...but if I have to prove to you I can commit to something, I will. I want you to give me that chance; I know we both won't regret it."

"Spencer!! Spencer!!" Paula shouted from the back of the kitchen.

"Oh sorry, that's my mom. I'll be right back." Spencer got up, but before she left Ashley spoke.

"You're mom? She works here too?"

"Yeah, well she owns the place. This is our little family business. I'll be right back; she'll get mad if I'm not there fast enough." Spencer ran into the kitchen.

Ashley decided to leave and let Spencer come back to an empty table. _An empty table with a big tip. _ Ashley reached into her purse and pulled out a hundred dollar bill and left it on the table. She pulled out a marker and wrote on the bill, "Three. Tomorrow. -- I'm all yours." Ashley walked out of the diner and decided to leave it at that. She wanted Spencer to get a little surprise and make her day.

Ashley showed up the next day and Spencer's first words were, "I can't keep this." She pulled out the hundred dollar bill and waved it in front of her face.

"Yes you can. I gave it to you, I can't take it back. That would be rude." Ashley pushed Spencer's arm down and walked to the booth.

"It's too much... I can't---"

Ashley cut off Spencer, "Yes you can...whatever, I bet it makes up for all those crappy tips you get. Anyways, let's change the subject."

Spencer smiled and shook her head. Ashley just had a way of speaking that made her light on her feet. She wanted to be around Ashley's company all day long; she didn't know why she tried to push her away. "Let me get us some drinks."

"So why are you scared to be in a relationship?" Ashley just went ahead and asked. She wasn't known for sugarcoating things.

"Wow, well. I'm surprised you came back. Every girl that has asked me out, I have told that to them...to come back everyday for the rest of the week...You're the first one that has actually showed up. And I'm so glad, I was afraid you weren't."

Ashley grinned, "Hey, you're dodging the question."

Spencer rolled her eyes, "Oh right. Well, there was this girl who I thought I loved, which in retrospect I didn't really love her, but whatever. She just really hurt me bad. I went to her apartment and found her cheating on me with my best friend at the time. And I guess she had been cheating on me for months too, and whatever I just couldn't bring myself to trust another girl again and I didn't have the courage to get hurt again." Spencer shifted her weight and looked into Ashley's eyes.

"I'm sorry but, what a stupid bitch, who would cheat on someone as amazing as you?"

Spencer blushed and didn't know what to say. Before she could manage words, Ashley beat her to it, "You just haven't met your match until now. There's just something about you, which I know is so right." Ashley smiled then realized she was being really forward and didn't want to scare Spencer away. But what she didn't know is that Spencer was thinking the same exact thing.

Spencer smiled, "You're so right. But I don't deserve someone as good as you."

Ashley shook her head, "You deserve the best, and if you go around thinking you don't...you're going to end up with stupid girls who cheat on you. But I'd never do anything to hurt you. You just have to give me that chance."

Spencer twirled her hair in her fingers and let her blue eyes gaze into Ashley's brown eyes. She was soon interrupted by Paula waltzing up to the table, "Hi, I don't mean to be rude but Spencer we have a full house, we really need you on right now, please."

Spencer angrily sighed, "Fine, this is my friend Ashley."

"Hi, Ashley. Come back anytime. You're always welcome." Paula winked and walked away, "Five more minutes, then clock in!" She shouted as she walked into the kitchen.

Spencer turned sad, "Sorry, for cutting our time short. We're getting a rush and I can't let my mom suffer."

"No worries, I'll be back tomorrow." Ashley got up and gave Spencer a hug. They both embraced the hug longer than any normal people would. They backed out of the hug and looked into each other's eyes. "Tomorrow same time?" Spencer asked.

"You don't even have to ask." Ashley smirked then grabbed her things and took off.

Ashley showed up every day for the rest of the week. This was just the beginning of a great relationship.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: Enjoy. **

**Jbs10- I'm glad you're taking a deeper look into things… and that's all I am going to say.**

"Hey, me and my family are having a family dinner tonight, you want to come? Meet my family? Be introduced as my girlfriend?" Spencer gulped, hearing those words spoken aloud, girlfriend. It was the first time either one of them had spoke it.

Ashley's head immediately looked up, "Girlfriend?"

Spencer smiled as she twirled her hair, "Well, it's been three weeks now...I think it's time to throw a label on us."

Ashley reached across the table to grab a hold of Spencer's cold hands, "Yes I'll be your girlfriend. Yes, I'll come to dinner. Yes, I'd love to meet your family." Ashley leaned over the table and gave Spencer a kiss on her forehead.

Spencer grinned without showing her teeth, "Great. Well I have to finish up my shift here. Meet me back here at like eight? Then we can head to my house."

Ashley pouted, "But, I don't want to leave you."

"Hey, walk around...go shopping. See you in a couple hours, kay?" Spencer got up out of the booth. The same booth where they first met. They feared sitting in another booth would jinx their relationship some how.

Spencer finished up her shift making good tips, which caused her to be in a fantastic mood. She took a rag and started to wipe down the tables. All of a sudden she felt a hand on her arm. Ashley's hand ran down Spencer's arm onto her hand. Ashley started to help Spencer move the rag around on the table. Not before long, Spencer was sitting on the table with her legs wrapped around Ashley's torso. Ashley continued to kiss Spencer on the lips, and then moved to her neck, but she was soon interrupted.

"Ash, stop. My mom's going to walk in any second, I'm sure." Spencer unwrapped her legs and slowly and unwillingly pushed Ashley off.

"Continue this later?" Ashley gave a grin and wrapped her arm around Spencer's waist.

"Hello Ashley, ready for family dinner?" Paula said as she held a handful of papers.

"You bet." Ashley smiled and stiffened as she let go of Spencer's waist.

"Hey, mom I'm just going to hitch a ride in Ashley's car, if that's cool?" Spencer said as she threw the damp rag behind the counter.

"Spencer...I told you not to throw the rag back there..." Paula said sternly, while giving her the eye.

"Mom, please, I'll get it tomorrow morning. Meet you at home?" Spencer walked over and gave her mom a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Drive safe, buckle up!" Paula shouted as Spencer and Ashley walked out of the door.

"Do you think your mom likes me?" Ashley asked as she clicked her seat belt in.

Spencer let out a slight laugh, "Of course she likes you. She likes everyone; we just have to get her to love you."

Ashley rolled her eyes, "Oh I doubt that will happen. I'm SO bad with parents, but I'll try my hardest for you."

Spencer smiled, "That's all I ask. So I'm so excited for you to meet my brother. He's the best big brother a girl could ask for."

"Ah, me too. What about your dad? I realize we like have never talked about your family."

Spencer slowly grew quiet and her voice started to tremble. She spoke softly, "My dad---well he uh died when I was young. I just don't like to talk about it. That's why I probably never brought it up."

Ashley kept one hand on the wheel and reached with her other hand to touch Spencer's face, "its okay, I'm sorry for bringing it up."

Spencer gave a forced half-smile, "I had to tell you sometime. It's okay."

Ashley turned off the ignition and ran around the side to open Spencer's door, "After you Miss Carlin," Ashley made a motion with her arm.

Spencer grabbed Ashley's hand and took her to her front door. "Hey, let me run upstairs so I can get out of my work shirt."

Ashley stood in the door way and heard Paula struggle to open the front door. Ashley assisted Paula and held open the door for her, "Why thank you Ashley. I was trying to open it with all this stuff in my hands."

"No problem Mrs. C." Ashley smiled and closed the door behind her.

"Where's Spencer?" Paula looked around the room.

"Oh, she's upstairs changing out of her clothes." Ashley shifted her eyes around the room, because she had nothing else to say. She was really bad with talking to parents. _Come on Ashley try and say something, anything. You're supposed to be trying for Spencer, remember? Stop standing here like an idiot, move your lips._ "So, Mrs. C..." there I go, that wasn't that hard, "lovely house you have. Just you and Spencer living here?"

Paula set her papers down on the table by the door, "Actually it's me, Spencer, Glen, my son, and my husband Arthur."

"Oh I see, Spencer there you are!" Ashley shouted with open arms and whispered through her teeth, _thank God, what took you so long?_

"Hey mom, you asking her a million questions about her life already?" Spencer giggled.

"No, that would be rude. I was waiting until dinner." Paula menacingly grinned.

Ashley made wide eyes at Spencer and practically choked on the oxygen she was breathing. Spencer gripped onto Ashley's hand, "Don't let her scare you away."

They all sat around the dinner table awaiting Glen to make his way down from his room. "Thanks for taking forEVER Glen," Spencer made eye glances at Ashley, to show him that this was the girl she had been talking about non-stop for the past several weeks.

Glen smiled and nodded at Spencer and Ashley, "Sorry for holding every one up. I'll say grace." After grace was said they all started to dig into their food. Everyone except Paula, that is.

"So Ashley, what are you intentions with my daughter?" Paula had her head cocked as she awaited the answer. She meant serious business.

Ashley felt her hands starting to sweat, her throat tighten, her eyes starting to shift between Spencer and the center piece on the table as if it was going to answer the question for her. "I uh, plan on being a great girlfriend." Ashley smiled, hoping she got the answer right.

Paula smiled, "All right, fair enough. What are you doing with your life? Your twenty years old, out of high school... are you continuing your education?"

Spencer sighed, "Mom, please, what's with the twenty questions? I really like Ashley, don't go scaring her away."

"Well, that's it dear. You really like her; I want to get to know your girlfriend. Is that so much to ask?"

Ashley shrugged and gave Spencer a you-tried-look, "No one could scare me away from you." Ashley said as she reached over and grabbed a hold of Spencer's hand.

"I'm not going to school. I'm a photographer, I take pictures. I don't make much doing it, but it's more for the art and satisfaction that my work is out there. I own my own gallery in downtown L.A. It doesn't make much, but I like my stuff being a rarity. I live with my father, who's a rock star. So I live off the trust fund he has for me." Ashley smiled at Paula like she won a battle. She knew everything she said came out right and she hoped she had won her over.

"And where do you think you are going to go with a photography career?" Arthur barged in the conversation.

Spencer scoffed, "You don't get to ask her questions. That's MY mom's job."

Paula hit the table lightly, "Be nice to your father."

Spencer rolled her eyes, "STEP-father and his name is Arthur to me." Spencer slouched back onto her chair and crossed her arms.

Ashley started to slowly feel uncomfortable during the family argument, but Glen decided to save her. "So Ash, sounds like you really have your work cut out for you. I'd love to check out the gallery some time and if you ever need help moving heavy stuff, I'm your guy."

Ashley pushed the food around her plate, "Thanks Glen. Spence was right; you're like the coolest older brother ever."

Spencer's mouth dropped, "Ash..." She said Ashley's name like she just gave away a huge secret.

"Oh, I'm the coolest big brother ever?" Glen was going to soak up every minute of it.

"Shut up, Glen. I never said that..." Spencer smirked.

"Oh you so did!" Ashley shouted.

"Ah, look, your girlfriend is taking my side!" Glen laughed.

"How about I beat you in a round of guitar hero, and we will see who's side she takes!" Spencer demanded as she ran into the living room and Glen and Ashley followed.

"I'm tired of beating you, Glen. You can play alone." Spencer said as she plopped on the couch next to Ashley.

"So, why do you hate your step dad so much?" Ashley said as she caressed Spencer's thigh.

Spencer let out a deep sigh, "Just because, my mom is trying to replace my real father with this fake guy. He's just...whatever. I just can't wait to move out of this house to get away from him. He doesn't like the fact his step daughter is a lesbian AND he tried watching me and my last girlfriend make out. He's a perv."

Ashley shuddered, "Ew, that's so gross. No wonder you want to get out. I don't blame you, every new wife my dad brings home always turns out so wrong. They are always almost practically my age and they just try and suck out all my father's money. So I kind of know your pain." Ashley smiled, trying to make her feel better.

"Hey, how about you come over to my house? Spend the night?" Ashley leaned in and kissed Spencer on the lips. Trying to make saying no even harder. _Who could resist a kiss from Ashley Davies? _

Spencer grinned, "How could I say no to that? Let me go tell my mom I'm leaving." Spencer got up and gave Ashley a kiss on the forehead.

Spencer ran into the kitchen leaving Ashley on the couch watching Glen play guitar hero. "Hey, mom I'm going to spend the night at Ashley's house."

Paula turned around as she was drying off a plate, "Okay honey, and don't forget you have to be at the diner early in the morning for that breakfast party."

"I won't. I'll have Ash drive me." Spencer said as she turned to leave the room.

"Not going to give me a hug before you leave?" Paula held out her arms, "Be safe, have fun, I love you sweetie."

Spencer hugged her mother and let go, "You too."

Paula let out a frustrated sigh, "We've been to the therapist about that. You know you can say I love you, without someone dying. What happens when Ashley say's I love you? What are you going to say back? You too? And break her heart?" Paula lashed out.

"Mom that's not fair. I can't help it okay? When and if me and Ashley get to that point in our relationship, I'll figure it out. Don't worry about it! I'll see you tomorrow." Spencer walked out of the kitchen and to the living room.

"Let's go." Spencer stood with her hand out, trying to help Ashley off the couch.

"What was going on in there? I heard yelling." Ashley looked at her concerned as she stood up.

"Oh nothing important. Let's get out of here and have some fun."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/n: I know it's kind of short, sorry. Enjoy.**

Ashley awoke and saw Spencer lying in the crook of her arm. She smiled at the very sight of how cute Spencer looked lying in her arms. Ashley lifted her arm and gently brushed the hair that was covering Spencer's gorgeous face. Ashley wanted to soak up all of Spencer while she had her there. Spencer fluttered her eyes and she soon awoke. She took a second to adjust to the sunlight but then she smiled because Ashley was her very first sight.

Spencer wrapped her arms tighter around Ashley and listened to her heartbeat. "Morning Ash." She said as she exhaled slowly.

Ashley slid her hand up and down Spencer's bare back. "Morning sunshine."

Spencer looked around the room searching for a clock, "You don't have a clock in your room I forgot." Spencer crawled over Ashley and reached on her night stand to take a look at her cell phone. She checked the time and her mouth dropped.

"What's wrong? You look like a big yellow school bus just hit you." Ashley said as she slowly crept up.

"Shit, I'm late... my mom is going to be so pissed at me." Spencer jumped out of bed and started searching for her clothes that were sprawled out over the floor. Spencer smiled through her frustration, "How did my shirt end up on this lamp?" Spencer stood with one hand on her hip, waving it at Ashley.

Ashley grinned, "I was kind of in a hurry, last night."

Spencer jumped onto the bed throwing on her socks, "Hey get dressed. I need a ride there."

Ashley crawled up behind her and wrapped her legs around Spencer and gently started to kiss her neck, "Hey, babe why don't you just not go into work today? Stay here with me?" Ashley continued to kiss Spencer's neck.

Spencer thought about it for a second as she was enjoying Ashley's kisses, "My mom would kill me, because she knows I'm not sick or anything...so I have to go because she's going to be swamped and down a server. So get dressed." Spencer jumped up, so Ashley would stop kissing her. She was afraid if she let Ashley continue to kiss her neck, it wasn't going to stop there, and she would never want to leave.

Spencer leaned over to the driver's seat and gave Ashley a peck on the cheek, "Pick me up after work?"

"You got it. Give me a call when you get off, and I'll be here in a flash." Ashley held Spencer's hand tightly, almost refusing to let go.

Spencer gave Ashley one final kiss and headed into work. Ashley slowly crept away while watching Spencer quickly run into work. Ashley then drove to the nearest florist and decided to pick up Spencer's favorite flowers. Spencer walked into the florist shop, "Hey I didn't know you worked here. How have you been Lucy?" Ashley hugged the girl.

"What can I do ya for?" She arranged flowers as she spoke.

"I'm trying to find my girlfriend's favorite flowers." Ashley poked her head through the isles and isles of flowers. She felt like she was getting lost in a sea full of flowers.

"Girlfriend, huh? You must really like this girl." Lucy said as she walked behind Ashley, "So what flowers can I help you find?"

Ashley smiled; she knew she really liked Spencer. She could see herself with that girl, for a long time. "Yeah, she's special. I'm looking for chrysanthemums; those are her favorite flowers for some reason." Ashley randomly stopped at a bundle of flowers and wafted in the smell. She tightly squeezed her eyes shut, the smell of the flowers reminded her how Spencer's hair smelt. She always used some fruity shampoo, and she loved the sent.

"Hey, I have the perfect one in the back room. Let me get them for you, and they are on me."

"I can't let you do that, here take the money." Ashley slipped some money on the counter just in case she wouldn't take it.

"Here." Lucy handed Ashley a bundle of Spencer's favorite flowers.

"Oh my God, she's going to love these. Thanks." Ashley hugged her and thanked her for the flowers.

Ashley spent some time shopping at the other little shops she found on the street. Anything that caught her eye she bought. She was in a great mood, after a fantastic night with Spencer. She didn't care how much money she spent, she was just enjoying life as it came.

Ashley felt her phone vibrate in her purse. Ashley frantically dug through her purse and started to get frustrated when she couldn't find it. She found it just in the nick of time, "Hey, what's up?"

Spencer talked softly, "Can you come pick me up now?"

"What's wrong? You don't sound too chipper. You're mom let you off early? Sweet."

"Yeah, she let me go early... can you come pick me up now?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes. Bye," Ashley hung up the phone and hopped into her car. She was happy to go finally see Spencer. Even though she had only been away from Spencer for a few hours, it felt like forever. She hated when her time wasn't spent with Spencer.

Ashley parked in front of the diner and Spencer was already sitting outside. Spencer was wearing a hooded sweater and great big sunglasses.

Ashley laughed, "Spencer are you trying to hide from someone? Is the paparazzi after you?"

Spencer grew a weak smile, "Something like that."

Ashley then realized it was something serious and immediately drew the sunglasses from her face and pushed back her hood. "Spencer! What happened to you! Where...who did this? Tell me who did this, I'm going to find them and beat their ass." Ashley said as she inspected the bruises and touched them with grace.

Spencer began crying, "I was late---"

Ashley jumped to conclusions she was infuriated, "You're mother hit you because you were late for work?! Oh she's going to get a piece of me," Ashley whipped open her car door, but before she could get out Spencer grabbed Ashley so she couldn't leave.

Spencer wiped the tears flowing down her face, "No, it wasn't my mother. Arthur...my step dad...he was mad at me for being late and making my mom stressed. He snuck up on me in the kitchen office and he hit me...and wouldn't stop. My mother kept asking me what happened, but he said if I told my mother...he'd kill her. I just told her I fell, and she let me off early." Spencer leaned over and hugged Ashley. Spencer cried lightly but as soon as she felt the security of being in Ashley's arms she started to weep hard and loudly.

"Shh, Spence, it's going to be okay. I'm going to take care of this." Ashley rubbed Spencer's back, "Let's get you out of this place."

"Ash, you can't do anything. He's going to hurt my mom, I can't have that! She's all me and Glen have." Spencer slouched in the passenger seat. She made sure to keep a strong grip on Ashley's hand.

Ashley deeply sighed and glanced between the road and Spencer, "If he hits you once...he's going to do it again. Just...I'll leave it alone for tonight."

Spencer and Ashley arrived at Ashley's house. Spencer was extremely quiet tonight, the complete opposite of her usual bubbly self. Ashley walked over and sat on the bed next to her, "I bought you these..." Ashley handed her the flowers, "I know it's not going to make you feel better...but here." Ashley smiled, thinking about how happy she would have been if it weren't for the bruises on her face.

Every time she looked at her bruises on her face she wanted to pummel the person responsible. Ashley was going to figure out a way for him to pay, no matter what. She wasn't going to let someone hurt the person she cared for. It was payback time.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/n: I know it's short, but there will be another update tomorrow. And if anyone has theories I'm curious to know what they are. Anyways, enjoy.**

Ashley stared straight ahead with her eyes barely blinking. She was afraid if she blinked too often, the vision before her eyes would vanish. Ashley rubbed her eyes quickly making sure it wasn't a dream. She slowly stepped down off the ledge and stumbled towards her balcony doors and using them as a balance beam. Ashley took in a deep breath and slowly recounted the day of Spencer's funeral.

-----------

Ashley sobbed loudly and every time she could feel her lungs popping through her chest. The man next to her lent her his handkerchief and she wiped her tears away. The problem was the tears wouldn't stop flowing. Ashley tried to listen to the priest say his last words letting the body rest in peace, but that wasn't settling her down. Ashley dabbed the handkerchief on her cheeks again, but still the tears continued.

Ashley fell to her knees whispering Spencer's name aloud, just praying that this funeral wasn't real. She whispered her name as if she was going to somehow respond through her casket. Ashley looked over at Arthur; she couldn't help but glare through her tears. She did not see an ounce of remorse in his eyes; he did not shed a single tear. Ashley was enraged by his actions.

"This is all your fault you abusive dick!" Ashley disrupted the priest in his ceremony as she waltzed over towards Arthur pointing her finger as she spoke. A random friend of the family who was paying his respects grabbed a hold of Ashley. She fluttered in his body, struggling to get free. She continued to shout profanity at Arthur trying to get some sort of rise out of him.

He slowly walked over with his hands clasped, "Sweetie, I'm so sorry you lost your girlfriend. You're going to get through this, taking your anger out on me won't help this situation. Look around, you're upsetting the other people who are trying to pay their respect to your girlfriend." Arthur put his hand on Ashley's shoulder trying to console her. Instead she felt repulsed by his touch and briskly found the same spot she was before and stood.

She watched Spencer's body being lowered into the ground. She couldn't believe it was this final. This was it. The love of her life was being lowered six feet under ground before her eyes. The tears ran down her face harder and faster. _I could see other people looking at me, like they felt bad for me. I didn't want them to feel bad for me; I wanted them to bring my Spencer back. I'd give any moment, anything for just another second, just another breath with Spencer, and one more time so I can utter those three words she rarely said to me._

Ashley walked up to the lowered casket and looked down. She debated jumping for a split second but then she knelt. She smelled the flower in her hand and took in a long whiff. She closed her eyes tightly and thought of Spencer every second. She threw the flowers in and whispered, "Your favorite." She gave a half smirk and kissed her hand and pressed her hand on the grass next to her open grave. She took in another deep breath and slowly stood up. She looked at the ground as she walked and slowly stood waiting to take in all the hugs and condolences from the people at the funeral. She wished all the "I'm sorry for your loss," could bring Spencer back or make her feel one ounce of happiness.

Ashley looked into the distance as she leaned in for all the hugs and noticed all the cars lined up. She noticed a tinted van that looked out of place, but she thought nothing of it. She continued to weep as she took in all the hugs and pecks on the cheek.

"Hi, I'm sorry for your loss. Spencer was a dear friend of mine." The man said as he gave Ashley a hug.

Ashley shook her head and slowly wiped a tear away. She was trying to form words. "Uhh-m h-how did you know her?"

"I helped out at the diner during busy weekends." He nodded his head as he spoke.

"Oh, I think I remember seeing you around...I'm Ashley, you are?"

"My name is Aiden. She really did love you, you know. Even if she couldn't say those words, she loved you... a lot. She never talked about anyone like she did you." Aiden smiled, "I'm sorry for taking up your time. I really am sorry about her." He lowered his head and started to walk away.

Ashley immediately took her hand and grabbed onto his bicep, "She said that?" Ashley was looking deep into his eyes through her tears. She wanted to know everything he knew.

Aiden gave a half-smile, "Yeah, she talked about you all the time. But trust me; she loved you more than anything in the world. I just wanted you to know that, if you already didn't." He shook of Ashley's grip and continued to walk away.

Ashley smiled. Spencer was still talking to her even after her death. She still knew the exact words to say to make her somewhat happy. She knew Spencer loved her with all her heart, but hearing it from this Aiden guy made her feel like Spencer was still alive.

--------

The only time I had seen Ashley Davies cry is when her father died, _and at my funeral._


	7. Chapter 7

**A/n: I loved reading everyone's theories, you guys had some good ones. You can read on and see if you guys were right. Enjoy.**

Ashley dropped her bottle of booze onto the floor. She figured she couldn't be dreaming but she had to be certain. She slowly reached up with her mouth still gaping open and gave herself a nice long, hard pinch on her bicep. _This is definitely not a dream._ She shuffled her feet as she walked closer to the figure before her eyes. While keeping her distance she made an entire circle around the figure just trying to swallow the very sight before her eyes. She took a big gulp before she spoke.

She moved her lips but no words came out. Her voice was feeling hoarse, so she cleared her throat. Before she could speak the distant figure beat her to it.

"I heard things were bad, so I came. I didn't think they were this bad. Were you on the ledge because..." The figure paused fearing the truth, "You were going to kill yourself?"

Ashley looked up with a bit of happiness in her heart, but with great confusion in her eyes. Ashley diverted her eyes to the hardwood floor and slowly nodded her head yes.

"You would be the last person I would think to take their own life. You're the most gorgeous, confident girl I have ever known. Just come closer, I can explain everything. We need to get you cleaned up."

Ashley was in no condition to argue. Even though this moment was extremely sobering, Ashley was so far gone it was hard to come back. Ashley walked over to the figure's arms and fell into them.

"No, no, no. Wake up. What did you take?" The figure looked around the room. All that she saw was bottles of booze, a few pill bottles lying open, and remains of cocaine on the coffee table. The more she looked around the room, the more worried she became. The figure slapped Ashley gently in the face a couple of times, praying that Ashley didn't have to go to the hospital. Ashley sleepily came too, "Is it really you?" Then she fell back asleep.

The figure dragged Ashley to her bed and figured that she needed to sleep off the booze and cocaine. Ashley curled up with her comforter and continued to sleep until the morning. She puked a couple of times, but it was just cleaning out her system of all the junk she had put in it. Ashley washed her face in the morning and assumed last night was all just a very intense dream that felt like reality. She was slightly glad she didn't commit suicide as she had planned. She turned on the faucet in the bathroom and filled a cup with water. She took a few sips and then decided to walk out into the living room.

She couldn't believe the sight before her eyes. _Last night wasn't a dream. It was all real. I have to be delusional._ Ashley dropped her glass cup where she stood. It shattered around her feet and woke the figure who was sleeping on the couch.

The figure immediately rose to her feet and just stared at Ashley.

"How is this possible? Am I delusional? I must be... I have to be. This can't be happening. You're dead!" Ashley started to pace around the room.

"I'm not dead, I'm right here. I can explain everything. I think you need to sit down for this."

"Spencer..." Ashley felt a tear strolling down her cheek.

Spencer interrupted her, "Just sit; I need to get this all out before I can't."

Ashley did as she told and sat on the couch right in front of Spencer. Ashley reached out her arm and poked Spencer on her leg, just to make sure she wasn't some illusion her fragile mind had created.

Spencer took a deep breath and began to speak, "Ashley, I'm alive and so is the rest of my family. How is this possible you're asking right? Well..."

"I buried you a year ago! I cried at your funeral, I watched them lower your body into the ground. This can't be happening!" Ashley blurted out as she pounded her fist into the couch cushion.

"Just, I'll explain how it's all possible," Spencer paced around the room as she spoke, "I'm in the witness protection program. When I was a little girl, I witnessed something horrible. Something no one should ever witness, because it has stuck with me ever since. I was nine years old and I just finished telling my dad I love you. He heard banging on the door and quickly shoved me into the closet. My mother was at work, at the time she was a surgeon at the local hospital."

Spencer took a deep breath and looked over at Ashley to make sure she was still following her. "Okay, now where was I. So my father heard banging on the door and quickly shoved me in the closet. I knew something was wrong, because he turned pale white and then kissed me on the forehead and told me no matter what happened I should stay in the closet and not make a single noise. Two men came walking into the house with guns and shoved my dad up against the closet door I was in and started to punch him and kept wailing on him. After they dragged him off the closet, the closet door crept open a bit and I saw what has forever changed my life. The man brought the gun to my father's chest and shot him numerous times. I will never forget that man's face as long as I live. I watched this man shoot my father as I stood by and did nothing."

Ashley spoke even though she knew Spencer wasn't finished, "You were young, they would have killed you too. You did the right thing by listening to your father. I--" Spencer cut her off, she needed to get everything out.

"It turned out this guy who killed my father was this huge mob boss. I testified against him in court and put him behind bars for a long time. That's when I was entered into the witness protection program. My mother, brother, and I were moved out here to L.A and we all got new identities. My name used to be Susan Machista. My father's name was Paul Machista, my mother's was Rita, and my brother's name was Michael. They gave us new names and new identities once they moved us out here to Los Angeles. My Carlin identity was compromised when one of this mob guy's brothers found me and my family out here. The agents immediately got wind of this and faked our deaths. We have been in hiding in Texas since. I'm so sorry Ashley; I never meant to hurt you so badly like this. I never meant for...any of this. I love you."

Ashley felt tears streaming down her cheeks and she slowly walked up to Spencer. She looked her dead in the eyes, not saying one word. Ashley closed her eyes. Her happiness to see Spencer quickly turned to anger. She took her hand and slapped Spencer across the face. Spencer rubbed her cheek where a red mark soon arose, "I guess I deserve that."

"What took you so long to come back? Why now?" Ashley crossed her arms as she spoke.

"It was the year anniversary of my death... I heard you were in bad shape. I couldn't let you live thinking I was dead. I stayed away from you for so long, because I couldn't bare any one hurting you like they did my father. I couldn't let them kill someone else I cherished and loved so deeply. I had to get away, to save you, to let you have a life of your own. I'm here now Ashley. Risking both our lives. My love for you has never stopped, never faded."

"I've spent a year trying to get over your death, I never did. A part of me always felt you were alive. You were off making a new life for yourself, while I was stuck here trying to pick up the pieces of this broken life you left behind."

"It's not like that Ashley. I've been dying inside... every single day over the past year has killed me, knowing you were alive thinking I was dead. The anniversary of my death, I just had a feeling you were going to hurt yourself somehow, and I couldn't let me be that reason. I had to come back. I just---I love you." Spencer smiled as she dug her hands into her jean pockets.

Ashley looked up at Spencer. She was still as beautiful as the day was long. Her blazing blue eyes still captured her attention as they did long ago. Her hair, Ashley so badly wanted to take in the scent of her hair that made her go weak at the knees. Ashley didn't know how to take this situation in, but she knew she had to do what she had been longing to do for so long.

Ashley briskly walked over to Spencer and wrapped her hands through Spencer's long, flowing blonde hair and pulled Spencer to her lips. Spencer kept her eyes open at first, stunned by Ashley's actions. Ashley was about to pull away, but then Spencer quickly reacted. Spencer's lips began to intertwine with Ashley's. Their tongues clashed with one another, ever so passionately. They both spent a year longing for each other, building up for this moment. Spencer's warm lips inched their way to Ashley's ear and whispered, _I love you._


	8. Chapter 8

**A/n: Sorry for the delay in update. Enjoy.**

Spencer slowly ran her fingers through Ashley's long brunette locks. She missed having Ashley's scent always on her. She missed her gorgeous brown eyes that always had an ounce of hope in them. She missed every little detail of Ashley. Spencer and Ashley lay in bed all night and throughout the morning. Spencer wrapped Ashley in her arms all night long. Spencer needed to soak up every passing minute with Ashley, because she knew her time with her was short.

Ashley had dreamt of this moment for an entire year, she never imagined it was going to come true. Lying in each other's arms was sufficient enough. They rarely spoke; the silence was all they needed. Spencer hid her tears while she cried lying next to Ashley, she didn't want Ashley to ask why she was crying. She couldn't bring herself to tell her what had to be done. Instead she just kept smiling at Ashley's sweet face and reached into her head for one of her favorite memories.

---------

"Damn Spencer you look amazing, but when don't you?" Ashley tugged on Spencer's halter top as she pulled her waist closer.

Spencer giggled, "Oh, quiet! I knew you'd like my outfit. So ready to hit the club?" Spencer pulled away from Ashley to find her make up case. She needed the perfect amount of glitter to throw on her chest.

Ashley walked up behind Spencer and hit her cute little ass, "Okay, so I don't know how far we are going to get with you dressed like that." Ashley hugged onto Spencer from behind and watched her apply makeup in the mirror. Ashley had her hands in Spencer's mini-skirt's pockets. Spencer kept applying makeup as if Ashley wasn't trying her best to distract her. Ashley soon took her warm soft lips and started to nibble on Spencer's neck.

Spencer giggled a bit, "How do you expect me to put on make up while you're doing that?"

Ashley unlatched her lips, "I don't..." Ashley coyly grinned.

Spencer threw her mascara into the bathroom sink, turned her body, and hopped up on the bathroom counter. She quickly wrapped her legs around Ashley and pulled her as close as humanly possible. There was not an inch between the two. Spencer rested her arms on Ashley's shoulder and intertwined her fingers together. They both gazed into each other's eyes for a split second before their lips started smacking. Spencer bit a little on Ashley's lips which always drove her crazy. Ashley slowly reached up to untie Spencer's halter, but they were quickly interrupted by the buzzing of their intercom. Ashley grumbled as Spencer slowly pushed her off. Ashley tugged her shirt down and straightened it out. She went to the intercom and abruptly spoke, "Yes? How can I help whoever this is?"

The man on the other side softly spoke, "Uh, I'm your limo driver... I'll be waiting down here."

Ashley quickly swiveled her body, "You got us a limo? No way!" Ashley shrieked with excitement.

Spencer swayed her body shyly as she couldn't help but smile at Ashley, "Of course I got us a limo. We're going to have fun tonight on our anniversary."

"So babe, why not the traditional anniversary? Dinner...gifts...sex?" Ashley darted her eye contact towards Spencer's skirt.

"Well, I have a surprised in store for you. Plus, who made up those lame anniversary rules? I want to go clubbing, then of course we're coming home and trying out those fuzzy hand cuffs you had to buy me as a gag gift." Spencer walked to the glass table and picked up her gag gift. She twirled it around on her finger as she spoke. She tossed them aside and grabbed a hold of Ashley's hand. Ashley's jaw was still slightly dropped.

"Come on; let's get our slutty dance on." Spencer happily skipped out their apartment door.

--------------

Spencer shook her head out of the daze. She knew she couldn't lie there and day dream all day with Ashley. Although, she wanted to keep thinking about that fuzzy handcuff memory.

Spencer placed yet another kiss on Ashley's sweet lips and sat up on the bed. Spencer sat on the edge of the bed and she looked over her shoulders at sleeping beauty. _God, how I have missed watching Ashley sleep._ Spencer held her eyes tight refusing to let her tears out. She looked around the room for her clothes and started putting them on. She looked at her back pack that sat in the corner of the bedroom. She grabbed her coat that was on top of it and slid it on. It wasn't her plan to sneak out on Ashley, but she knew that she couldn't leave if she was trying to stop her. Spencer reached for the note inside her back pack, explaining all the reasons she had to leave again.

She kissed the envelope that was addressed "to the only person who has my heart," and set it on Ashley's night stand. She wiped the tear that somehow managed to escape her eye. Spencer took one long, last look at Ashley and sighed deeply. She didn't want to leave Ashley, because having her back meant everything in the world to her. But she couldn't risk Ashley's life anymore than she already has. She leaned over brushed a few stray hairs off Ashley's face and grabbed her back pack. Spencer walked slowly, trying not to make a noise. The floorboard managed to squeak and Spencer immediately stopped in her tracks and whipped her head towards the bed. She sighed with relief knowing it didn't wake her. She continued to walk out of Ashley's life again.

Ashley immediately arose and saw what Spencer was doing. She sprung up on the bed with one leg touching the cold hardwood floor. "So that's it? You come back for one amazing night, and you're out of my life again?"

Spencer held her eyes tightly, let her bag fall off her shoulder to the floor, and slowly turned around. "Ashley, I--I can't. I've put you in danger by coming back. Whomever I love dies before my eyes, and I refuse to let that happen to you. I came back to let you know I am alive, so you can start living your life again." Spencer gave a half smile that was completely forced. She could see the devastated look on Ashley's face that was killing her.

Ashley threw on her shirt that was lying on the floor. She angrily straightened it out. "No, you don't get to make that choice! I don't care if the world is caving in on us, if fire was falling from the sky, if hell itself was devouring us whole, as long as I am with you, I don't care what danger I am put it. I'm not letting you walk out that door again. I love you too much to do that. I've lost you once; I'm not losing you again." Ashley walked over to Spencer and cupped her face in her hands as she said her last sentence.

Spencer began to cry as she looked deeply into Ashley's brown eyes. She searched for an answer, for a reason to tell her she couldn't stay. She couldn't, wouldn't put Ashley's life in danger. "I knew coming back was a bad idea. I knew you wouldn't let me leave. I just thought if I came back, told you the truth, you could live your life knowing that I was alive out there."

Ashley let go of Spencer and started to pace around the room. "Is that how this works for you? You come in and out of my life as you please? Do you know how hard it has been living this long with out you? Thinking you were dead? Blaming myself for all these months? Look around the room...none of your stuff is packed away. I tried, but I just couldn't put you away in a box like that. For weeks, months even I cried every night holding your clothes next to my body, just taking in your scent," Ashley began to speak through the tears that were quickly falling from her face, "So like hell if I am letting you walk out of my life again. What were you just going to walk away again and let me pick up all the broken pieces while you go take on another identity and another city, with whole new lovely life? I thought you'd want to stay with me." Ashley sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

Spencer was speechless. She wiped the tears away, but her eyes were clouding up again. "Ashley, it's not like that. I want to stay here with you, pick up where we left off. But I just can't do that... there are people out there looking for me, who want to kill me. If they ever did anything to you, how could I forgive myself?" Spencer sat near Ashley on the edge of the bed and rested her hand on Ashley's thigh.

"Then don't go, if you want to stay. Please, I don't think I can live knowing you're alive." Ashley looked into her lap as she reached and tightened her grip around Spencer's hand.

Spencer sighed, "If I stay...we have to move or something Ash. I don't know, I just...I." She deeply sighed again. She didn't know what she wanted, well she knew what she wanted to do, and she just didn't know what she should do.

Ashley just stopped Spencer from talking. She pressed her fingers on Spencer's lips, forcing them closed. "Shhh. Just close your eyes for me and picture something. Can you see life without me in it? Can you see a future with out me? If you can, walk out those doors Spence. I'll try and deal somehow again. I've done it once, I can do it again."

Ashley waited for Spencer to open her eyes. When her blue eyes met her brown eyes, she knew the answer. Ashley instantly smiled and pressed her soft lips against hers. She cupped her face in her hands as their lips seemed to meet again. They rested their foreheads against one another and breathed deeply. They both smiled because this is the exact moment both had been yearning for.

They were soon interrupted by the apartment door being kicked open. They both were startled and Spencer jumped into Ashley's arms. "Who is that?" Ashley whispered.

"Susan Machista, Spencer Carlin, whatever your name is today, we were counting on you to come back to your girlfriend. We figured you had a weak spot for this girl. We're so glad we were right." The very muscular man who would be the perfect bouncer spoke. He wore a tailored suit as did the two other men who were standing behind and to the side of him.

Spencer shut her eyes and quickly opened them. Hoping they would disappear. She stood up and pushed Ashley behind her. "Whatever you do to me...just don't hurt her." Spencer spoke with a harsh tone, meaning business. She was slowly starting to remember why she wanted to leave Ashley as she planned.

The man chuckled, "Hey boys, did you hear this little girl? Giving me orders. You should come work for us, you have some spice. Too bad our boss wants you dead. Or else, I think you would do well working for us." He inched closer and Spencer inched back pushing Ashley further behind her.

"You fucking, lay one hand on her, you're so dead." Ashley shouted. She eyed her night stand, trying to figure out a way she could run for her gun. She kept a hand gun in there, because she debated killing herself, but she never could pull that trigger. She estimated the distance, figuring out a plot in her head. She kept thinking, _if only I could get to that gun, I could end all of Spencer's problems right here and now. _

"Now, now, young lady. You have a mouth on you. So, we can do this easy way or the hard way. You can willingly come with us, or we can drag you. Either way, I'm not leaving this house without you." The man smiled as if he enjoyed torturing people for a living. He inched closer reaching out to grab Spencer.

Spencer pushed the man back with all her might. He was just filled with muscle and too strong for such a small girl. She pushed on his pecks again, he stumbled a bit but it still didn't phase him. Ashley saw her opening she darted for her night stand, hoping she could reach her gun in time. The other men saw Ashley moving and they started chasing her. Ashley hopped over her bed and one of the men grabbed her ankle. She barely grazed the night stand. She kept reaching her hand and kicking her feet, trying to get these guys off her. _Yes._ She flung open the drawer and scrambled for the gun.

In the meantime, Spencer was pounding on the guy's chest as he bear hugged her. He laughed the entire time she was struggling to get free. "Ashley, Ashley!" She shouted as she pounded on his chest more. He was making her watch Ashley struggle with the other men, _this is cruel_. Spencer managed to get her arm free and she elbowed the man in the eye. "Bitch." He let go of Spencer for a split second but regained himself.

"We're going to have to do this the hard way." He tightened his fist, reached back, and flung his fist onto Spencer's face. One hit to the face and Spencer was out like a rock. Her last thoughts were _they better not lay one hand on my fucking girl._


	9. Chapter 9

**A/n: Enjoy.**

Spencer stared at herself in the mirror and made sure her make up was applied perfectly. This was their first actual date. They had been friends for awhile now, but this was her first actual date with the most gorgeous girl that had ever walked into her mother's diner.

Spencer felt her phone vibrate in the back pocket of her jeans. She decided to go semi casual and wear a pair of tight jeans that fit so perfectly on her hip, which showed off her tattoo. She smiled as she looked at the caller ID, "Hey Ash, I'll be down in a second." Spencer smiled as she hopped down the stairs. She so badly wanted to slide down the railing like they did in the movies when they were happy, but she was afraid if she tried she would somehow fall off and break a hip. So she just skipped down the stairs instead.

She grabbed a sweater off the hook by the door and yelled by to her mother. She locked the door behind her and headed out to Ashley's car. Ashley was practically drooling by the time Spencer sat down in her leather passenger seat.

"I look that good, huh?" Spencer smirked.

"You look amazing." Ashley said as she reached over to close Spencer's door. As she reached over she caught a whiff of her scent. Ashley took in another deep breath of Spencer's scent. "Ahh, vanilla and strawberries?"

Spencer scrunched her eyebrows, "What?" She was confused at what Ashley just said.

Ashley suddenly felt like a freak, "Oh nothing." She shifted her eye contact and headed out the of the Carlin driveway.

Spencer reached over and grabbed a hold of Ashley's hand which was sitting on the gear shift. Ashley's hands were so soft, Spencer kept thinking to herself. _I wonder what else feels soft on her body...no stop thinking like that. This is your first date with this girl, even though you've known her for a while now. But, oh do I wonder._ Spencer snapped her mind out of the gutter, "So where are we going?"

"It's an uhh surprise." Ashley smiled as she glanced over at Spencer.

They finally arrived at the venue. "What is this place? A concert hall?" Spencer peeked her head around the car trying to get a better view and angle of the place.

"Yup." Ashley smiled as she put her car in park.

"So, what are you going to sing to me?" Spencer laughed.

Ashley looked in her back seat at the acoustic guitar, "Maybe?"

Spencer looked back, "Aww, how cute is that."

"It's a surprise; I don't wanna give anything away."

--------

"Spencer! Spencer? Spencer!" Ashley yelled as quietly as she could. Ashley kicked the best she could with her legs tied together. She finally jolted Spencer out of her unconscious state.

Spencer gasped loudly and swung her head up. She winced with pain as she could feel her face swelling up from getting hit in the face. She went to go touch her face but her hands were tied behind her back. She struggled to get her hands free and she shuffled her body continuously, but the knots wouldn't come loose. Spencer still hadn't said a word or looked at Ashley in the face.

"Spencer, I tried...these ropes won't budge. You okay?" Ashley looked at Spencer who had her head down looking in her lap. Her hair fell down to her lap so Ashley couldn't see her face at all. Spencer still hadn't responded to Ashley. She was slowly collecting herself and assessing the situation. She was holding back tears as she stared at her legs bounded. She could see the twine on the ropes perfectly, but the longer she stared the cloudier the roped appeared. These were the ropes that were holding her back, these were the ropes she had been afraid of all these years, these are the ropes that restrained the only girl she ever loved. To her freeing these ropes meant the world to her. _So she cried._ She knew freeing these ropes was highly unattainable.

Spencer sniffled, automatically tried to reach for her eyes, but the ropes restrained her. She grumbled with frustration. She fumbled in her chair yet again. She finally managed words.

"I should have never come back. I knew this---I knew better." Spencer shook her head and made a grimacing face.

Ashley sat directly across from Spencer. She scoffed, "So, is that it? I'm just one huge regret to you?" If Ashley wasn't bound to a chair this would have been the time where she would have slammed a door in Spencer's face.

Spencer still looked in her lap; she had yet to make eye contact with Ashley.

"Look at me damnit. We have nothing but time in this stupid concrete room. Answer me; am I just one big mistake you're regretting?" Ashley stomped her feet on the floor. Trying to get Spencer to give her one look.

Spencer slowly lifted her head up as if her head weighed a thousand pounds. "No, I regret coming back and ending up in this situation. You're going to die, I'm going to die, and it's my entire fault. I could live with getting myself killed, but dragging you into this...I can't forgive myself. Look, you're hurt, bleeding and I, in a way caused that. So, I'm sorry if I regret that." Spencer stared in Ashley's eyes. If she wanted eye contact, she's going to get it.

"We can get out of this." Ashley was determined.

"How? Are you a magician?" Spencer spoke with a harsh sarcastic tone.

"Would you have a little faith for once? The thing I love about you is that you haven't changed one bit." Ashley shook her head. "I have a pocket knife, I managed to grab out of my drawer. Since I knew getting that gun would have probably turned out wrong, I grabbed my pocket knife. It's hidden in my cleavage here," Ashley pushed out her breasts to try and show Spencer.

Spencer couldn't help but grin, "In any situation, you always seem to bring up your boobs."

Ashley grinned, "Spence, we're going to get out of here alive. Okay?"

"Then what? Yeah, we get out of this one. There are still goons out there always looking for me and my family, wanting us dead. When or if we managed to get out of this situation, then what?"

Ashley looked down at her lap for a split second, and then looked back up, "Then we run away together. Far away, anywhere, as long as I'm with you. I have all the money in the world, we can just run away." Ashley so badly wanted to kiss Spencer, because she knew she could make Spencer feel better with her warm and inviting kisses.

Spencer looked at Ashley with an approving look, "But how are we going to get out of this situation? How am I supposed to get that knife? I'm tied to a chair, it's impossible." Spencer looked around the room; she knew it was nearly impossible to get that pocket knife. She was starting to fear that there really was no way out.

Ashley had a confused look on her face. The truth was she didn't know, she just thought it'd give Spencer some hope. "Just--" Ashley was interrupted by a man entering the door.

"So sleeping beauty here decided to wake?" The man chuckled, "Here we brought you some food, and if you two are good we will untie you and let you eat." He set a plate full of assorted candy on the floor along with bottled water.

Spencer was confused. Why would they want to feed me, if they wanted to kill me? "Why aren't you like killing us?" Spencer blurted out.

"Spencer!" Ashley said with a shrill voice.

"What?" Spencer shrugged; she saw nothing wrong in her question.

The man laughed, "Why would we want to kill someone as important as you? Someone we have been trying to find all these years? Our boss just wants to have a nice little chat with you." He started to fumble with the ropes, "Now, dear if you try anything I'm afraid I'm going to have to tie these ropes tighter and you won't get to eat anything."

Spencer oddly nodded and agreed with the man. "This girlfriend of yours is a little feisty, so I'm not going to untie her. I'll leave that to you after I let you go. Don't bother screaming or calling out for help, no one can hear you. Don't try and get out of that door, it will be sealed and locked tight after I leave and it's guarded. So just don't try anything, okay?" The man seemed oddly nice and it seemed as if he didn't actually want to be doing this.

Spencer innocently asked, "Can't you just help us out of here?"

"I wish I could do that...but I can't. I'm sorry; just enjoy the food I brought you. Every kid loves junk food right?" He smirked and hurriedly walked out the door, slammed it shut, and then both girls heard numerous locking.

Spencer ran over to Ashley and kissed her on her forehead. "I'm sorry, Ash." Spencer kissed her on the forehead again.

"For what?" Ashley looked up at her with her head cocked.

"For this." Her eyes glossed over and Spencer closed her eyes for a split second then re-opened them. She took her head brought it back and slammed it onto Ashley's head and knocked her out.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/n: I know it's been forever since my last update, sorry. At first it was just a combination of writers block plus work got in the way, then it was constant work and my laptop broke and that's currently in the shop. But anyways, sorry for the delay in update and there may be another delay because I'm crazy busy with work and stuff within the next week. So to anyone who wants to work retail, I strongly advise against it, especially during the holiday season. **

**So enough of my ramblings, I hope you enjoy, thanks for the reviews and such. Hope everybody's thanksgiving went well.**

It was their six month anniversary and Ashley planned to take Spencer back to the place they had their first date. Ashley was frantically running around her room trying to find the perfect outfit to wear. She knew she was going to sing this amazing song she just finished writing, but she didn't know how to dress. She had an array of clothing before her eyes, but she felt as if she had worn it all before. She wanted something new, something sexy.

She finally found the perfect pair of jeans. The jeans rested on her waist perfectly and she swiveled in her hips in front of the mirror to make sure her butt looked extremely cute. _Perfect._ Ashley was satisfied with her dark blue skinny jeans. Now, all she needed was some sort of top to throw on. She spotted the perfect top. She found a gray tunic dress and she threw it on. Ashley looked at herself in the mirror and smiled, _ah perfect. _

Ashley walked out to her bed and was startled. "How did you get in here?" Ashley smiled, "But I'm glad you're here."

Spencer smiled as she crossed her legs, "I'm glad too, you look hot." Spencer grinned, "So where are you taking me and how long is going to be, because I don't know how long I can keep you dressed."

"Why Spencer Carlin..." Ashley wiggled her finger as she walked over and pushed Spencer back on her bed. She slowly climbed on top of Spencer and her knees were on both sides of her waist. Ashley straddled Spencer as she giggled, "Aren't we going to be late?"

"Who cares, they are waiting on us. I'd rather," Ashley looked down and slid her hand up Spencer's sundress and made a circle around her belly button, "have our fun first...unless." Ashley removed her hand.

Spencer grabbed a hold of Ashley's waist forcing her to remain there, "You can't just turn me on like that and expect me to get up and go. Get over here Ashley Davies." Spencer pulled Ashley down by her belt loops. Spencer flipped over and now she was the one straddling Ashley. "I'm sorry, I know you spent time on looking all perfect and you do babe. But I'm going to have to rip all these clothes off." Spencer said as she was unbuttoning Ashley's jeans and ripping them off her legs. "I've never seen you so eager to have sex, babe," Ashley said as she watched Spencer rip off her jeans.

Spencer smiled and made her way up to Ashley's lips. Their eyes met for a brief second before they kissed again. Ashley's tongue slowly inched her way into Spencer's mouth massaging her tongue. Spencer got weak at the knees just by Ashley's kissing; sex with Ashley was like a mind blowing experience. Spencer tugged sensually on Ashley's bottom lip then moved to her neck where Ashley felt her warm breath. Spencer blew gently into Ashley's ear and then slowly nibbled on her neck as she worked on getting Ashley's top off. Spencer sat up as she pulled off Ashley's top and automatically attached her lips to Ashley's neck again. Ashley moaned and held onto Spencer's hair. Spencer went to unlatch Ashley's bra and as soon as she slid it off Ashley pulled Spencer off her neck and looked at her. "So how did I become pretty much naked and you're fully dressed? You're getting it." Ashley was in nothing but her boy shorts and she threw Spencer on the bed. Spencer didn't resist she wanted Ashley to take control, matter of fact she loved it when she was in control. Ashley ripped off Spencer's dress and they were both even. "Uhm Ash?" Ashley grumbled she was in the middle of pulling down Spencer's boy shorts, "Yes honey?"

Spencer sat up on her elbows, "I really hate to stop you, trust me, I do but, someone is ringing your door bell." Ashley grumbled and let the elastic of Spencer's boy shorts snap back to her body. "Ow..." Spencer made a puppy face.

Ashley stomped to her intercom, "What?!" She did not have the patience to be nice.

"I'm your uhh driver for the night? I was told to be here at 8, I'm sorry I'm late there was traffic mid town, and I'm sorry." The driver stumbled over some of his words.

Ashley rolled her eyes, "Fine, we will be down in," Ashley looked back at Spencer wondering if she could finish what she started, but she needed more than just five minutes. She wanted it to last, "In like a minute." Ashley grumbled her way back to the bed and plopped down on the edge.

Spencer came and wrapped her legs around Ashley's waist and started to kiss her neck, "Hey, we have all night. I am excited for the surprise you have in store for us." Spencer hopped off the bed and started getting dressed. Ashley watched Spencer get dressed as she crossed her arms. Getting dressed was supposed to be the last thing on Spencer's mind right now; the stupid driver ruined their moment.

Ashley threw on her clothes; she really didn't care how perfect she looked anymore. Since Spencer already saw how perfect she looked once and went crazy, she figured her planned worked. She threw on her clothes again and headed out the door holding onto Spencer's hand.

They were back at the place where Ashley took Spencer on their first date. Ashley sat up on the stage and fumbled with the microphone. She nervously tapped her foot on the stool she sat on. She searched for Spencer in the crowd; she smiled once she found her. Spencer gave a head nod and a slight wave.

"I just finished writing this song before I came, so I hope it doesn't suck." Ashley gave a slight laugh as did the crowd. "Seriously, though, this goes out to...well you know who you are." Ashley smiled and looked into Spencer's blue eyes. Ashley began to strum her guitar and she let out her powerful voice.

_You used to say you wanted someone to know you inside out._

_And as I look back on things well congratulations baby,_

_Somebody knows you now._

_All of this time you told me you wished that you could figure yourself out_

_You say you're still a mystery but no not really not to me_

_Yeah somebody knows you now._

Ashley looked up from the crowd to find Spencer's face. She smiled and soon the whole crowd started to look at Spencer. Spencer didn't seem to notice, she was fixated on Ashley and her lyrics.

_I got a hundred bucks that says right now your hair's up in a clip_

_Your socks don't quit match and you're bitin' your lip_

Spencer stopped biting her lip, she felt as if Ashley knew her all to well. She loved it though.

_I can finish your thoughts or pick the right restaurants_

_Even order for you before you sit down_

_Yeah somebody knows you now._

Ashley continued to strum her guitar. Then she continued to sing.

_So no matter where your life's path leads_

_Remember me somehow_

_And feel a little warm inside knowin' that somewhere tonight_

_Somebody knows you now._

Ashley leaned in towards the microphone, "Thank you and that goes out to my special someone who has the only place in my heart."

The entire audience clapped and watched Ashley jump off the stage into Spencer's arms. Spencer was filled with emotion; she wanted to cry because the song was so sweet. "The song was beautiful." Spencer whispered in Ashley's ear.

----------

Spencer came barging into the room, "Boys put a back bag over her head so we can drop her off."

Two of the men just stared at Spencer's orders and the third guy who was standing by Spencer's side cleared his throat. "Boys, you heard the lady. Untie the girl, put a black bag over her head, and throw her in the van."

"Yes, boss." The two guys did as he said and Ashley started to fidget.

"What the fuck, let me go! Let me go! Spencer!? Spencer?!" Ashley kicked and screamed.

Spencer hopped in the back of the van with Ashley still making a fuss. One of the guys took his hand and slapped Ashley across the face.

"HEY! You do as I tell you and you don't make a move until I tell you," Spencer pounded her fist into the chair.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." The man responded and rolled his eyes, "Boss why are we taking orders from this chick anyways?"

"You'll find out with time. But, if you don't start listening to this little lady, there will be hell to pay."

"Thanks, Louie." Spencer let out a smirk.

Ashley's vision was altered by a black bag covering her entire face. She breathed in deeply and she could smell the cloth from the bag, she kept panting, she felt trapped. She didn't know what was going on, it felt like a big dream, more like a big bad nightmare. Ashley would be crossing her arms, if her hands were not tied together sitting on her lap. She struggled to get free, but Spencer reached over and set her hands on Ashley's.

"Stop, you're going to get rope burns. Just stop, you're going to be free in a second, kay?" Spencer smiled as she tightened her grip onto Ashley's hand.

"W-Why are you doing this? I don't understand, Spencer talk to me," Ashley demanded, "And take this fucking bag off my head."

"I can't honey, just sit tight." Spencer patted Ashley's leg and scooted back against the van. She pounded the back her head into the van, she hated doing this, she didn't want to, but she knew this was the only way.

"Stop, we're here." Spencer said and the van came to a screeching halt. Spencer helped Ashley out of the van, untied her legs and hands, and then slowly took off the black bag. Ashley immediately slapped Spencer across the face and stared at her in the eyes. Spencer rubbed the red spot on her cheek and knew she deserved whatever was coming.

"I don't have time to talk, there are things I have to do and find out...and if they are true...then we won't have to worry about these goons anymore and it's going to be a different life it what I fear is true. Okay they think I am leaving you out here to die because there isn't a gas station within a mile. I'm going to stick this cell phone along with some cash into your back pocket okay? I'm going to hug you now," Spencer gave a half-smile and held out her arms waiting for Ashley to lean in for the hug. Ashley forced herself into the hug, she didn't just force herself because she was mad but she was also forcing herself to actually move due to all the confusion.

"I have to go and just remember I love you." Spencer whispered into her ear and gave Ashley a tiny peck on the cheek.

"You're scaring me, Spencer," Ashley shakily said as she pushed out of the hug to look at Spencer in the eyes.

Spencer immediately darted eye contact, "I-I have to go." Spencer fully backed out of the hug and hopped into the van. She looked out of the windows in the back of the van of Ashley's figure slowly disappearing into nothing.

Ashley kicked the ground she walked on. She didn't understand a thing about what the hell was going on. She needed answers and she wanted them now. She paced around the vast open space for a good five minutes then remembered Spencer slipped the cell phone and money into her pocket. She whipped it out of her pocket and she saw a note fall onto the floor. _Hmm, she didn't mention anything about a note_. Ashley squatted down and picked up the note.

_To the girl who owns my heart, Ashley, I know you are probably like what the fuck is happening right now. Remember I love you. But just do as I say and I only can be vague about these plans. Now, I dropped you off where you stand now, walk to the nearest gas station which is exactly a mile away, call a cab and take this cab to my mother's old diner. Something new stands there now, but I need you to go there. I will meet you there in about two hours, if I don't show in two hours, yes something happened to me, and yes you should start worrying. Again, if these are the last words I ever write to you let it be, I love you._

Ashley smiled and realized it must have been something life and death for Spencer to say _I love you_ twice in a letter. She rarely ever tried to say it and if she said it twice, then something major had to be happening. Ashley did exactly as the note said and found herself waiting at the diner where they had met. She grabbed a booth and waited. All she could do for the next two hours was wait.

Spencer twirled her thumbs as she sat across from the men who just kidnapped her and Ashley, now she was working with them_? What a crazy ass day, what have I gotten myself into? At least I am one step closer to the truth about this all. _

"Hey, kid. Snap out of it, you have to put this stuff on, you can't be recognized" Louie handed her a wig and new clothes.

Spencer threw on a brunette wig and she started applying heavy makeup to her eyes. She threw on new clothing, ripped jeans, a faded t-shirt, and a fleece lined zip up hoodie. Spencer smiled and looked at herself, _wow I look kind of like her_.

Spencer stood before the building that looked like it was touching the sky and she was just a little ant that could be squished by anyone. She walked in and signed in. The lady behind the glass counter spoke into her microphone, "Okay so hand over all your personal items, no weapons are aloud pass this point, and sign here on this Miss Ashley Davies." The lady looked at the state ID then looked back up at Spencer, "Hey Davies that sounds so familiar, are you the daughter of that famous rocker?" The lady said as she took back her clipboard.

"Yeah, you bet," Spencer looked around the room during the awkward silence, "Great, so I'm all set to go in?"

"Well, since this guy is in maximum security you are going to have to wait inside there, while the guards go get Mr. O'Malley. He's been locked up behind bars for---oh I don't know many and many of years and I've never seen you come around before, marry into the family?" The lady chuckled.

Spencer smiled, "No, he's my father." _Or so I think._


	11. Chapter 11

**A/n: So the song in the last chapter was Somebody Knows You Now by Brad Paisley. Enjoy.**

Spencer walked into the room and sat across from the man she had been running away from all these years. This was the man who killed her father many years ago back in Ohio, but it turns out that the man she put behind bars was her biological father. Spencer tried to fathom the information she had gathered and she needed to get to the truth. Over the years she had no reason to think that this man before her very eyes was her father, until the day she received a photograph at her front door. It wasn't until then she started digging into her past and her family's past that she finally reached the unspeakable truth, but she had to hear it from this man himself. Is this why the mob was trying to find her all these years? Not to kill her, but to embrace her into the family? This was the reason she came back to L.A to find all the pieces to the missing puzzle.

"I've been waiting for you to come. A little sooner then I expected." Mr. O'Malley spoke in extreme confidence.

Spencer just sat and stared at this man. She hated him with every fiber in her being, she watched this man put a bullet through her father, but she wasn't sure if she should hate the man who pulled the trigger or the man who took the bullet. Spencer's head was about to explode, if she had been living a lie all these years, she wasn't sure what she was going to do.

"So you came here to just glare at me? I'm sure you came here to ask questions. It's very nice to see the young lady who put me behind these bars for sixty years. You turned out to be a very beautiful woman." He grinned, but the sentence didn't come out like a perverted old man would say it. Instead it came out like he was proud Spencer turned out to be beautiful. Spencer heard the way he spoke; she was starting to fear that what she found out was the truth. "And may I say, lovely costume you have on, way to fool the guards and FBI they have stationed around here."

Spencer had to put on this whole Ashley costume because if they would have spotted Spencer coming anywhere near this place the FBI would have had a field day. They kept dibs on Mr. O'Malley because he was extremely dangerous and afraid he was going to break out of jail somehow. Spencer knew she would have been recognized immediately if she walked in there looking like normal, so she had to steal Ashley's ID and pretend to be her, and it worked.

Spencer still hadn't said a word; she was still soaking in this entire experience. She finally managed words, "So is it true?"

He crossed his legs and rested his hands in his lap, "Yes dear, you are in fact my daughter."

Spencer let out a sigh and her jaw practically dropped to the floor. On some level she wanted to know the truth, but she wishes this wasn't it. "How? What? How? I don't understand how you could be my father--"

He cut her off her rambling, "Well, a long time ago you were just a cute little baby and I was doing business as usual out in the city and I left you home with your mother, who by the way would love to see how you have grown. But anyways, these men I was doing business with weren't very honest and they came to my house--my house and beat up my wife shot her and they were very dirty and they smacked you around and stabbed you in the foot, probably hoping you would bleed to death. Well, I came home and I took you both to the hospital."

Spencer looked down at her shoes; I've always wondered where that scar came from. "Wait, right or left foot?" Spencer needed to make sure he was not lying.

He chuckled, "It was your left foot. But I took you to the hospital and they thought that I caused all this to you. They thought I smacked around my wife and baby, why would I do such a horrendous thing? I may be a business man in some bad business, but I am not a bad father or husband. The noisy doctor tried to take you away from me and it turned out that she kidnapped you. Yes, your mother Paula kidnapped you and ran away to Ohio with you. You are originally from Chicago but this doctor Paula took you away from me and your mother. Ever since then, I have been trying to find you."

Spencer looked up from her lap, trying to hold back her tears. "Why did you kill my father?"

"I am your father, that man he was a bad man. He took you away from me and wouldn't give you back. What was I supposed to do? Let him get away with such a horrible thing? The people you were living with stole you from me. I am your blood, your flesh and blood." He clenched his fists. He was extremely sensitive about the subject; Spencer could tell he had a lot of feelings for her.

"I don't understand---why didn't you go to the cops? Tell them I was missing?"

"Oh I did, they just laughed at me and told me I got what I deserved. I was the biggest mob boss in Chicago every one knew it, but the cops didn't want to help me. Great system we have, huh? So, I did my own detective work and I tried to get you back on my own, but look where it got me," He looked around the room, "prison and my own daughter sent me here."

Spencer didn't know what to say, "So what? You want me to call you dad now?" Spencer didn't know how to take in this situation. Her entire life had been based on running away from this man, now she was supposed to welcome him with open arms? Spencer just wanted to go stand on the ledge with Ashley and jump with her. She couldn't take all this in and stay sane.

Mr. O'Malley smiled, "For starters that would be great, how about you come visit me every once and awhile? I mean I have been trying to find you for how many years? The FBI kept you hidden good. I want to hear all about your life, since I wasn't there for you and I wasn't there to see you grow up. My boys tell me you have a girlfriend? So you're a lesbian? I just want to hear everything. We will talk about you taking over my business, later."

Spencer heard every word he said and it almost made her smile. He was like a kid in a candy store, he wanted everything. She wanted to smile at the fact at how excited he was to hear about her life, this really must be my father. Spencer needed a DNA test to be sure; she wanted to stop running away once and for all. "Wait, take over the business?"

"After you were kidnapped, your mother and I didn't have any more children. We were too heart broken about loosing the only child we had ever loved, we couldn't bear to have another child. I would love to have my only heir take over my business I started. But enough on that, tell me about yourself." He smiled tried to reach over and grab a hold of Spencer's hands.

Spencer immediately took her hands away before he could touch them. She wasn't comfortable enough for him to start touching her. "I do have a girlfriend. Her name is Ashley Davies and she's the only girl I will ever love. I want a DNA test, I have to be sure. Will you stop chasing me? And let me live in peace with my girlfriend?"

"I'll never stop trying, you're my daughter. You won't ever be hurt I can guarantee that. I never wanted my boys to mistreat you, I just wanted them to find you and bring you here, so I can tell you the truth."

Spencer thought about this all. She was ready to live the life she was meant for. She was ready to accept this man as her father; she was even ready to take over his business. Paula had taken this life away from her, why should she be so scared to accept it all in? "What was my real name?" Spencer looked up at him with her head cocked. It was a silly question any one would want to know.

"We named you Dana O'Malley. Dana was your great grand mother's name it also means bold in Irish. You are one bold girl, coming down here today. I say you fit your birth name. What shall I call you, my daughter?"

Spencer liked her birth name, but she had been living by Spencer Carlin for so long, she wanted to keep that name. It was the name Ashley had said through those beautiful lips so many times; she would never change her name again. "My name will always be Spencer Carlin. I grew up my entire life being called that, my girlfriend will only know me as Spencer. So if you don't mind, please call me Spencer." She managed to make a half-smile. "Speaking of my girlfriend, I have to get going, she is going to worry."

"This is all the time you are going to give your father?"

Spencer sighed, "I can't let her worry."

"I understand, love is a crazy thing. I will have my three best guys watching over you. Louie, he is my head security, I'm sure you have met him; he will be with you at all times. Think over about taking over the family business, and your mother would really love it if you saw her." He smiled and reached up and pulled out a thick blond hair from his head, "Here, take this for a DNA sample. You will find out that they match and we are family."

Spencer reached over and grabbed his hair. She figured that she would get the DNA tested just for the hell of it, because in her heart she knew this was all true. She knew. She couldn't wait to talk to Paula to figure out why the hell she kidnapped her in the first place. If it wasn't for Paula kidnapping her, she wouldn't have had to live on the run her entire life.

Spencer knew all her answers, "I don't even have to think about it. I'll take over the family business...dad." She did it; she finally said it out loud and called him dad. She couldn't believe it, it felt good, calling someone dad again. It felt so right calling this man that she hated these entire years dad.

He smiled, "Get over here." He held out his arms and awaited his hug. Spencer stood up from her silver metal chair and walked over and gave him a big hug. She couldn't believe all this.

"I have to go." Spencer released from the hug and started too walked to the door to buzz the guard and let her out.

"You will come by again? We need to talk about this business. I'm so proud." He smiled and his eyes glistened.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be around soon." Spencer smiled and walked out the door. She needs to go tell Ashley all of this, she wasn't sure if she could handle it all.

Spencer made her way to the diner where she told Ashley to meet her. She found Ashley sitting in a booth in the corner and she plopped down. "I hope you didn't worry."

Ashley was looked down at the ground when she heard Spencer's voice, "Of course I worried---why are you wearing a wig---why do you look like me?" Ashley questioned with extreme confusion.

Spencer slumped her shoulders and immediately removed the wig and tossed it to the side. "Oh sorry, this is a long story." Spencer sat there tell her everything she knew, why she was here, how the man she put behind bars was really her father.

Ashley sat across from Spencer nodding the entire time, her eyes were wide and she was trying to soak in everything she was listening to. She could barely believe it all. Ashley didn't know how this would change their future. She was just in shock. "Wait, you want to take over his business?"

Spencer nodded her head, "He is my real father and he wants me to..." Spencer shrugged, "I feel as if I owe it to him."

Ashley got up and moved to Spencer's side of the booth and wrapped her arms around her, "I---I don't think you should do that. That stuff can change you."

Spencer smiled, "I'd never leave you, if that's what you're worried about."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/n: I want to say I will have another update up tomorrow, but I can't guarantee anything┘but I'll try my best. Anyways, enjoy and thanks for all the reviews.**

"I love you," Spencer let those words slip through her lips. It was the first time she had said it to Ashley first. Usually her response would be, "you too," or "ditto," she would never say I love you directly and it always hurt Ashley a bit, but she tried to understand. Spencer's eyes grew wide, she couldn't believe those words fell out of her mouth. She smiled soon there after, it felt amazingly good to be able to say those words to the girl she loved.

Ashley's eyes lit up, she wasn't sure if she heard her right. She thought she might be dreaming. Ashley had to be sure, "W-what?" Ashley said as she held onto Spencer's waist.

"I l-love you. You heard me, Miss Davies, I love you." Spencer was about to faint, she just said I love you a record amount. This was the first time Ashley actually heard it first. She knew Spencer loved her and nothing less, but it was nice hearing those words.

Ashley held tightly onto Spencer's waist and pressed her closer to her body. "OhmygodIloveyoutoo," Ashley said but it came out more like one word, just because she was so excited and happy Spencer uttered those fatal words.

Spencer didn't know saying those words meant so much to Ashley or else she would have done it sooner. She was just careful who she said it to, because she knew throwing those threw innocent words around meant a lot. And the last time she said it was to her father right before he was murdered before her eyes.

Ashley reached to Spencer's jeans and unbuttoned them and the rest of her clothes were already on the floor before she could even speak. Spencer smiled, "Ash.."

"No time for words..." Ashley smiled as she unhooked Spencer's bra and threw it across the room and it landed on the lamp. Ashley was being extremely aggressive which made Spencer want her even more. Ashley threw Spencer on the bed and she bounced a little as a slight giggled escaped her mouth. Spencer lifted Ashley's shirt above her head and Ashley shook it off and threw it to the side. Ashley's brown locks fell onto Spencer's face as her warm lips met hers. Their lips touched and Ashley forced her tongue through, barely waiting permission from Spencer. Their tongues met and clashed against one another. Ashley lifted up her head and regained her breath. But only for a split second, if her lips weren't touching Spencer's she felt as if she really wasn't breathing.

Spencer reached down towards Ashley's jeans and slowly unbuttoned them as she continued to force her lips onto Ashley's. Ashley kicked off her jeans as their legs rubbed against each other. Their legs were intertwined with each other as they continued to exchange saliva Ashley slowly pulled away as Spencer's face continued to follow. Ashley slowly pushed Spencer back down on the bed as Spencer teasingly bit Ashley's lip on the way down. Ashley kissed Spencer's neck as her hands rested on her sides. Ashley made her way down to her collar bone as Ashley's hand slid up Spencer's body and she cupped her breast. Spencer smiled as she interlocked her fingers with Ashley's free hand. Spencer wanted to feel close to her at all moments.

Ashley began to slowly inch down Spencer's boy shorts but Spencer grabbed them. She wanted to tease Ashley, "Spencer you're going to let me pull these down whether you like it or not." Ashley grinned.

Spencer looked deep into Ashley's brown eyes and held both of her hands in the air as if she was being frisked by the cops. She wasn't going to put up a fight. Ashley continued to pull down Spencer's underwear until they were fully off. Ashley smiled and she kissed every inch of Spencer's body as she made her way back to Spencer's lips. Spencer massaged Ashley's tongue with hers. Ashley played with Spencer's hard nipple and then slowly made circles around Spencer's belly button until she reached lower. Ashley looked into Spencer's eyes for an approval, but she wasted no time. Ashley slid two fingers into Spencer's very wet spot.

"Oh my God, baby you're dripping wet." Ashley grinned as she leaned in for a kiss. Ashley massaged Spencer's clit and Spencer could barely let words escape her mouth. Her heart was beating faster and her eyes were about to roll into the back of her head. "I can't help it, you get me so hot." Spencer managed to let those words escape her mouth, but she talked and she was practically out of breath. Even though Ashley just started, Ashley's touch made her melt right then and there. Spencer held out as long as she could. "Oh my God Ashley, keep going." Ashley started to slowly massage Spencer's clit teasing her, ever so slightly. "No baby, don't stop." Spencer let out as her chest pounded. Spencer's back started to arch and she felt her orgasm coming, "Ash.." Spencer wanted to let her know she was about to come. Her toes started to curl inwards. She gripped tightly on the sheet was pressing against her bare skin. "I know, babe." Ashley grinned and then their lips met and Ashley felt Spencer's walls closing in on her fingers. Ashley kissed Spencer as her head tilted, and her back arched. Ashley let her orgasm subside and then she removed her wet fingers out of Spencer.

Spencer breathed deeply, trying to get enough stamina to do the exact same to Ashley. "I love you Spence," Ashley whispered in Spencer's ear as she lied next to her. "Your turn," Spencer said as she was about to get up. "Get me later babe, I just want to lie here in your arms for now."

Spencer smiled and grabbed a hold of Ashley and cupped her in her arms. Ashley's head laid on Spencer's flat stomach. Spencer ran her finger's through Ashley's dark brown hair. Spencer closed her eyes and knew she had to say it, she wanted to say it before it was too late, she wanted to say it before she no longer had the courage to, "I love you too."  
----------

She snapped herself out of her memories, she knew she had to focus a the task at hand. She shook the memory out of her head but couldn't shake off the feeling that was arising in her. She needed a cold shower fast. Spencer crossed her arms and paced around the room as she spoke.

"We gave you the package and in good faith we told you we would hold off on the payments, so we did. For two whole months, then my boys came knocking on your door and to find out you took off on us. It took my boys six whole months to find you, that six whole months of wasting out money traveling around trying to find your ass. So we want our money plus interest. You better give it to us, or my boy Louie over here will show you what a steel fist to the face feels like."

Spencer smirked after she kicked the guy on the floor. He had his hands tied behind his back and blood was coming out his mouth where Spencer had kicked him in the face. Spencer had been in charge of the business for three months, but it felt as if she was in charge for years. She had taken over all the cases and problems that came with being in charge of a mob family. Her father was proud to say the least.

Spencer twirled her foot on the hardwood floor, trying her best to act intimidating. She knelt down and looked at the man square in the eyes and flicked him on the nose, "I don't have all day. You either are going to pay us now with interest or Louie here is going to use you as his new punching bag and then we are going to go after your cute little daughter and see if she has the money."

Spencer reached into her back right pocket and pulled out a photo, "Melanie? What a pretty name. Does she know her father is a--"

"Okay! All right! I'll give you your fucking money." He pleaded with Spencer.

Spencer looked at the photo a bit longer, flicked it, and threw it in the man's face, "Louie?"

"Yes, boss?" Louie gave Spencer a head nod and tightened his stance.

"Do what you gotta do." Spencer smiled and started to walk out of the room.

"Bitch! I said I'll give you your money!" The man yelled as Louie kicked him straight in the gut.

"Don't call her a bitch, EVER." He said after a nice hard punch.

Spencer cringed at the sound of the man's pain, but she knew this came with the business. She always had to walk out of the room during this part, she wasn't that cold. She couldn't watch this man get beaten to a bloody pulp, then watch Louie squeeze all the money he owed out of him. Although, this man was far from innocent, watching these type of men get beat up just brought back that memory from her childhood. Even though, she knew the man she saw killed before her very eyes wasn't her father, he was her father up until a couple weeks ago and she will always live knowing that. Yeah that man took Spencer, but him and Paula did it for the right reasons. Spencer couldn't hate them completely.

Spencer sat outside in the car with tinted windows. She puffed on a cigarette in the backseat, waiting for Louie to finish her dirty work. Every time she inhaled she closed her eyes and thought of nothing but Ashley. She was slowly starting to regret accepting this position, but she knew in her heart this is what her father wanted. She started smoking a few days ago, to calm her nerves and stop her from shaking so much. Most days she felt like an all around good person, except on days like this. She felt as if she didn't deserve life on days like this. So she inhaled her nicotine and it got her mind off why she was waiting in the car.

Louie adjusted his jacket as he plopped in the car, "It's done. We have our money. Boy was he a--" Louie slammed the door and Spencer cut him off.

"I don't like the details, remember?" Spencer said as she threw her left over cigarette out the window.

"Right, sorry boss." He smiled. He reached in his pocket inside his jacket and pulled out a handkerchief. The handkerchief Spencer's father gave to him, and he started cleaning off the blood from his knuckles and hands. He cleaned them off like he was washing dirt off his hands. It was second nature.

"Take me home Frankie." Spencer shouted to her driver.

Spencer sighed and could not wait to go home and see the most beautiful person God had created. Spencer walked up the steps and unlocked the door. She slowly tipped-toed into the apartment she didn't want to wake Ashley if she was sleeping, it was getting late.

Spencer saw Ashley sleeping like an angel on the couch. She slid under Ashley's feet without waking her. She slowly moved Ashley's brown locks off her face and pressed the backside of her hand against Ashley's face. Ashley slowly awoke due to Spencer's touch. Ashley flinched at first but then was comforted by her touch.

"Hey, how was---whatever you had to take care of?" Ashley's smile soon faded. Spencer didn't specify where she was going or what she had to do. She hated talking to Ashley about the things she had said, done, and saw over the past month. She didn't want to bring this home with her, she figured she didn't have to. The only thing she needed when she came home was Ashley and it was the only person she wanted.

"It was, fine. Let's not talk about it." Spencer smiled as she shrugged off her jacket. Spencer just wanted to get everything off her mind. "Ready to go to our bedroom?"

Ashley pulled her blanket closer to her chest, "No, I'm good out here." Ashley diverted her eye contact to the floor. Truth was, she hated the fact Spencer was out all hours of the night doing God knows what to God knows who. She knew Spencer was better than this and didn't understand why she decided to embrace what her father wanted.

"What's wrong, Hun?" Spencer asked as she ran her hand up and down Ashley's side. Spencer held in her sigh, she knew what was wrong and she asked anyways. She was hoping Ashley would accept what she does now and hopefully join her. She wanted both of them to be this unstoppable force.

"I'm just---I want to be alone tonight." Ashley mumbled still staring at the hardwood floor. She was trying to make herself melt right into the floor, it would be better than talking about what was really bothering her.

"Yeah, see you in the morning then." Spencer let out a long deep sigh and dragged her feet into their bedroom. She threw off her clothes and slid on her black cotton robe. She looked at herself in the mirror and gripped onto the counter. She looked deep into her own eyes and tried to see herself. She searched but the only person she saw was Dana, this was the name given to her at birth, this was who she was becoming. She tried to find Spencer somewhere in her eyes, she kept searching. She closed her eyes for a split second and thought of Ashley. Ashley usually brings out the best of her. She slowly opened her eyes and the only person she saw standing before her, was no longer that innocent beautiful blonde with those sensitive blue eyes, the person before her was the leader of the Irish mob.


End file.
